Kieran McCorry, national technology officer with Microsoft Ireland, said big tech needs to better understand the potential impact of AI on"labour intensive jobs". Photograph: Naoise Culhane
Committee members heard AI tools could eventually add €600 billion in gross value for the European economy, roughly equivalent to the size of the EU’s construction industry as a whole. Some AI products have the potential to improve productivity by eliminating repetitive tasks and saving time, the companies said, while others can help with data collection and cybersecurity.
Louise O’Reilly, Sinn Féin spokesperson on enterprise and employment, said that while there can be “incredible benefits” to AI adoption, there are widespread concerns about whether the technology will replace jobs and the effort and costs associated with implementing it within organisations.