Alan Healy: The real impact of AI on Irish businesses has arrived

Companies providing data, publishing and legal services were pummelled on the sotock markets this week

Technology stocks have taken a hammering this week. In particular, legal and publishing firms say millions wiped oof their valuations.

A shift occurred this week that moved AI technologies from the realm of chatbots and image manipulators to the doorstep of Irish businesses, and the results may not be pretty, threatening to completely upturn some of the pillars of our economy.

A decade ago, artificial intelligence remained just a pipe dream of technologists and a plot tool for science fiction writers. Like the flying car, the technology of autonomous machines always seemed to be just beyond the horizon. And just like other breakthroughs, what began as a steady and incremental advancement has suddenly turned into a flood, leaving us clamouring to keep up with the latest advancement.