Artificial intelligence not the 'the be all and end all' for improving public services, Dáil committee told

There have been 30-40 pilot schemes across the public sector using AI, which had ranged from positive to negative, Oireachtas committee on AI told.

Artificial intelligence technology will not be “the be all and end all” for improving public services, the Government’s chief information officer has said. 

Speaking at the Oireachtas committee on AI, Barry Lowry said it was “really important we don’t get infatuated with artificial intelligence technology”. 

Mr Lowry also said he was hopeful citizens would have access to electronic health records by the end of 2030.

“AI is a very broad church,” Mr Lowry told TDs and senators. “The important thing is to get the process right. It’s not just listening to people like us when we’re designing systems.” 

The committee held a meeting on Tuesday about the responsible use of AI in the public service and Government technology.

It heard guidelines for this were rolled out by the Department of Public Expenditure in May, with examples across the public service of AI tools being used.

Marianne Cassidy, assistant secretary responsible for public service transformation in the department, told the committee this was an “empowering framework” for public service bodies and Government departments to roll out their own AI solutions.

She said the guidelines were aimed at ensuring use of AI was “safe, transparent and aligned with public values”, while there was a “huge appetite” to deploy AI in the public sector.

Ms Cassidy said there had been 30-40 pilot schemes across the public sector using AI, which had ranged from positive to negative.

“We learned you need your data in good order before you deploy your AI,” she said. “The output was not very good if the data was not in good order.” 

Revenue and the Department of Agriculture were two State entities at the “forefront of developing AI at scale”, she said, as the committee heard the latter was using AI when it comes to certain grant applications.

Mr Lowry said given the public service interacts with all citizens, it was important AI systems were rolled out with the most vulnerable in mind as well as all end users.

He referenced one pilot project developing a chatbot which students in DCU wishing to start their own businesses interacted with.

“People will approach accessing Government services with different needs,” he said. “In this particular case, they thought they’d taken account of everything.

“But the students serious about setting up a business thought [the chatbot] was patronising. And felt it went too far in how it was being helpful. There are things to learn.” 

While acknowledging some other countries, particularly those in Scandinavia and Estonia, outstrip Ireland when it comes to digital innovations in the public service, he said Ireland was hoping to launch its digital Government wallet this year.

“We’re further ahead than any of those countries in that particular space," he said.

Mr Lowry also emphasised that AI could be a useful tool, but all levers must be pulled to improve and modernise public services, and AI would not be the only means to achieve that.