Morning, Monday, 8th December 2025
Online
This conference will examine next steps for AI regulation in Ireland, particularly in the context of new EU requirements, national legislation in development, and wider commitments on innovation, digital transformation, and public service delivery.
It will bring together stakeholders and policymakers to examine measures in the EU AI Act and the Oireachtas’ implementation roadmap, as well as the Artificial Intelligence (Regulation) Bill, expected to be brought to the Oireachtas early in 2026.
Implementation of the AI Act
Areas for discussion include the designation and resourcing of sectoral regulators amidst concerns over preparedness, the coordination of a lead authority, and Ireland’s influence at an EU level through the AI Board. It will also be an opportunity to discuss key recommendations from the AI Advisory Council, including on sandboxes and copyright, and latest thinking on the Oireachtas Committee on AI’s work on responsible AI deployment.
With the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment confirming the appointment of 15 competent authorities in September 2025, delegates will assess next steps in the delivery of a distributed model to regulation. There will also be a focus on the future role and practical delivery of the functions of the AI Office of Ireland as it is established, following a €25.5m funding increase recently announced in the DETE Budget 2026.
Collaboration in relation to high-risk applications under Article 77 will be discussed, as well as where further clarity is needed on roles, mandates, and cross-sectoral consistency. There will also be discussion on the timeline for domestic legislation, including priorities for development of the draft Bill and the extent to which it may go beyond EU requirements to support national objectives on oversight, enforcement, and innovation.
Regulatory readiness
Delegates will assess implications of the Act for businesses and regulators, with a focus on resourcing and readiness amid growing concerns over sectoral preparedness, such as operational pressures, capacity for supervision, specialist staffing, and alignment on interpretation and enforcement. Delegates will also examine the contribution of the AI Board in influencing European governance frameworks, supporting standardisation, and contributing to regulatory consistency across Member States.
Supporting business adoption
Implications for innovation, compliance, and business capacity will be considered, particularly in relation to the National AI Strategy Refresh. Attendees will look at next steps for the establishment of sandboxes, priorities for the National AI Research Nexus, and support needed for digital upskilling and SME engagement. Recent measures, including the Budget 2026 Enterprise Ireland allocation, will also be considered.
Delegates will examine classification challenges for businesses under the EU AI Act, alongside new documentation and governance requirements, as well as priorities for the NSAI in developing standards, certifying organisations, and supporting adoption of the ISO/IEC 42001 standard. With recent surveys highlighting low awareness and uneven adoption of governance practices among Irish organisations, sessions will also examine priorities for regulatory clarity, sectoral guidance, and tailored support to assist in responsible deployment, particularly for SMEs and start-ups.
Economic opportunities & responsible growth
With the AI Economy in Ireland 2025 report from Trinity College and Microsoft forecasting AI’s potential €250bn contribution to the economy by 2035, we expect discussion on what is needed moving forward in positioning Ireland as a leading AI hub. Stakeholder responses to the EU’s Apply AI Strategy will be considered. Discussion will focus on the scale of investment needed to support infrastructure, innovation, and enterprise growth, whilst maintaining public trust and ethical safeguards, amid growing concerns over clarity and responsibility of AI use in the public sector. The role of certification, procurement standards, and public-private partnerships in enabling safe deployment will also be discussed.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those already due to attend include officials from the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, ROI; Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, ROI; Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, NI; Department for Science, Innovation and Technology; Home Office; the Welsh Government; and The Scottish Government.
