THE AI ADVISORY Council is appealing to Government to set up a watchdog to monitor potential job losses that result from artificial intelligence. 

Chair of the Council, Dr Patricia Scanlon will appear before the Oireachtas Artificial Intelligence (AI) committee today to update TDs and Senators on the organisation’s work.

In her opening statement, seen by The Journal, Scanlon warns that AI performing tasks previously done by humans could lead to job losses in Ireland. 

“We cannot predict the pace or scale, or if lost jobs will be replaced,” Scanlon wrote in her opening statement.

“We cannot be reactive. Ireland needs an AI Observatory, a national system tracking real-time impacts on jobs and skills as they happen. Without it we’re navigating tomorrow’s changes with yesterday’s map.”

Scanlon also tells Oireachtas members that two distinct sets of risks must be balanced in relation to AI. 

The first set relates to risks around AI’s risks to society, including bias, privacy erosion, job displacement , misinformation, threats to fairness, safety, human dignity, and the impacts on the creative sector and intellectual property.

The second set of risks relates to not acting to use AI to human advantage. 

These, Scanlon tells the committee, relate to hindering innovation, weakening Ireland’s competitiveness, losing investment and talent, missing benefits in healthcare and education, and becoming “rule-takers” in AI governance. 

“Conversations about AI have become unnecessarily polarised between embracing or rejecting it. Instead, we need evidence-based thinking about uncertain outcomes, preparing for both anticipated scenarios and unexpected possibilities,” Scanlon wrote. 

According to the AI Advisory Council, an AI Observatory would allow the Government to better communicate the impact of AI on different sectors as they occur, while also helping policy makers, workers and educators navigate the changes ahead. 

The Oireachtas AI Committee was established this year.