The Irish government has invited public input on the implementation of the European Union’s (EU) Artificial Intelligence Act. The EU’s AI Act, which aims to govern AI and protect individuals from its potential risks, was officially adopted on May 21.
Dara Calleary, the Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital, and Company Regulation in Ireland, has requested the views of the public and businesses regarding artificial intelligence. The legislation was developed after an extensive process to regulate AI and safeguard people from its potential dangers.
The Irish government seeks public opinion as the EU intends to foster innovation. The regulations that have been adopted aim to strike a balance between promoting innovation and safeguarding citizens’ rights. AI tools that pose risks to individuals will not be permitted.
In contrast, developers of high-risk AI tools will be required to conduct a risk assessment to ensure that their tools are safe and comply with the law before they are made available to the public. Calleary stated that the EU’s AI Act prohibits the use of artificial intelligence for predictive policing and the use of AI systems to determine an individual’s sexual orientation, race, or religion.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment in Ireland is responsible for implementing the AI Act. Banned AI systems must be prohibited within six months, and penalties and enforcement actions must be enforced within twelve months.
The EU AI Act imposes significant obligations on businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Businesses now need to adhere to strict guidelines on risk management, monitoring, and transparency of AI systems. Minister Calleary acknowledged that these regulatory requirements could pose a significant burden on small businesses, as they may lack the necessary resources for implementation. SMEs will be required to meet comprehensive requirements, establish effective risk management systems, and implement measures such as human oversight and cybersecurity.
Compliance requirements include extensive documentation, reporting, and providing technical details of AI models. These factors collectively impose an administrative burden on small businesses.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment is exploring alternative approaches to implementing the AI Act. The government aims to identify the most effective national structure for enforcing the Act’s provisions. Minister Calleary emphasized the need for a collective approach due to the ambitious timeline for implementing the rules and encouraged all parties to participate in the public consultation on AI.
The Act includes exemptions for applications related to national security, open-source models for personal use, scientific research and development, defense, and AI system research. Each member state is required to establish a Regulatory Sandbox for AI within 24 months to support innovation.
The Act was approved in March of this year. Following its approval, the European Commission requested details from major tech companies, including Google, Bing, TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, and X, on how they are managing the risks associated with generative AI.
