Enterprise Committee publishes report on Artificial Intelligence in the workplace

The Committee scope should be broad to examine the potential of AI from all aspects of society and to further investigate the level of transparency and regulation that may be required.

The topic of Artificial Intelligence is a matter of importance and urgency due to the potential important and far-reaching impacts, both positive and negative, that Artificial Intelligence will have on all aspects of society.

The Committee engagements have been focused on the potential impacts AI can have, specifically in the workplace. Use of AI in the workplace is expected to result in the elimination of many jobs so upskilling and digital dexterity will be of vital importance in successfully transforming the employment landscape.

Speaking on the launch of the report, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Maurice Quinlivan said: “Though AI is also expected to create and make better jobs, education and training will have a crucial role in preventing long-term unemployment and ensure a skilled workforce. Future roles that AI will create have not yet been developed. The Committee engagements have been focused on the potential impacts AI can have, specifically in the workplace.”

“In reaching out to stakeholders to gain diverse perspectives on Artificial Intelligence, the opening statements and public engagements with witnesses provided the Committee with an insight into several areas where they deemed it was most important to take into consideration when developing potential regulation and legislation that will be required in this area following the transposition of the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act still being negotiated at an EU level.”

“When engaging with witnesses to identify challenges and barriers to adopting these approaches on a wider scale beyond the workplace, the Committee examined priorities that Government should focus on when it comes to regulating emerging workplace technologies, especially those related to AI and wider society,” he said.

The Committee’s recommendations are outlined below:

​- The establishment of a Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence. As the topic is far reaching, a Special Committee should be established to examine the broader scope of AI beyond an employment perspective. The Committee scope should be broad to examine the potential of AI from all aspects of society and to further investigate the level of transparency and regulation that may be required.

- Comprehensive discussions and regulatory measures at a forum level that safeguard both worker rights and employer interests on an inclusive basis with all stakeholders.

- The Committee has concerns about the potential harmful impact AI may have on consumers and therefore further recommends enhanced safeguards for digital manipulation are considered for consumers and workers when transposing the AI Act.

- The Committee acknowledges that concerns exist in respect of potential abuse of workplace surveillance technology. The Committee note that evidence of AI-driven constant monitoring marks a significant shift in the workplace environment, where employers can track employee activities without their awareness. The Committee recommends the need for measures to provide for transparency in this tracking.

- The Committee further recommend that the Minister revisits the representation on the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment’s GovTech forum board particularly from an employment perspective and strongly advocates for more inclusive representation from trade unions and other bodies such as legal, regulatory, governmental and tech industry experts.

The Committee has made several recommendations for these areas and a copy of this report and recommendations will be sent to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.