The Taoiseach has drawn parallels between Artificial Intelligence and historical events like the advent of the printing press and the Industrial Revolution, emphasizing the need for Europe to strike a balance between innovation and regulation.
In remarks made ahead of the AI Summit in Paris, Micheál Martin cautioned that the EU could fall behind if regulation of AI originates solely from European sources.
Last night, he participated in a working dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Also in attendance were US Vice President JD Vance and notable tech CEOs, including Sundar Pichai of Google and Sam Altman of OpenAI.
Comparing AI to the Industrial Revolution and the invention of the printing press, the Taoiseach remarked: “Each significant technological breakthrough brings fears to the forefront. People often recognize the potential dangers associated with such advancements.
“Conversely, we must be acutely aware of the vast benefits that can result from such technological breakthroughs.”
These advantages encompass advancements in diagnostics, disease management, and the handling of chronic illnesses.
The summit is expected to focus on in-depth discussions among world leaders, tech corporations, and non-governmental organizations regarding the associated risks and opportunities presented by the evolving realm of AI.
During the summit, world leaders will engage in formal discussions, striving to find common ground on a technology that is at the center of a global race for anticipated economic gains.
The AI Summit is being hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Organized by Mr. Macron and Mr. Modi, the gathering follows reports of Elon Musk’s bid for star developer OpenAI, highlighting AI’s potential to consolidate power within a select few.
Efforts to achieve global consensus may face challenges from major powers like the United States and China, each with their own geopolitical technology agendas.
Media reports indicate that neither the UK nor the US, two prominent players in AI development, plan to endorse a proposed joint declaration in its current form.
“Good AI governance” necessitates “clear rules that encourage the acceptance of AI technologies,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was expected to convey to his counterparts, according to a draft of his speech reviewed by AFP.
Critics have raised concerns about a leaked draft of the joint statement, which allegedly fails to address AI’s possible threats to humanity’s future as a species.
Max Tegmark, head of the US-based Future of Life Institute, stated that the draft “fails to even acknowledge these risks.”
‘Plug, baby, plug!’
In recent times, the United States’ $500 billion ‘Stargate’ program, led by OpenAI, and the rise of the high-performing, low-cost Chinese start-up DeepSeek have highlighted the technical challenges and costs involved for nations striving to stay competitive in AI.
Simultaneously, Musk’s $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, would amplify the tech influence of the world’s wealthiest individual, who is already at the helm of X, Tesla, SpaceX, and his AI company xAI while being a confidant of US President Donald Trump.
Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, is slated to speak in Paris later today and responded to the reported offer with a succinct “no thank you” on X.
As for France, Mr. Macron pledged yesterday to cut through bureaucracy to develop AI infrastructure to maintain Europe’s competitiveness.
“We will implement the Notre Dame de Paris strategy,” he stated, referring to the accelerated procedures that enabled France to reconstruct the historic cathedral within five years post the 2019 fire.
Mr. Macron’s initiative to emphasize French competitiveness includes a commitment of €109 billion for AI investment in the coming years.
He also pointed to France’s extensive nuclear power network as a significant advantage that provides a clean, scalable energy supply for AI’s extensive processing demands.
“My good friend across the ocean says ‘drill, baby, drill’,” Mr. Macron remarked, referencing Trump’s pro-fossil fuel stance.
“Here, there’s no need for drilling, it’s plug, baby, plug!” he asserted.
Ms. Von der Leyen is anticipated to deliver further announcements today concerning the bloc’s competitiveness.
‘Excessive regulation’ could ‘kill’ AI sector – Vance
JD Vance cautioned against “excessive regulation” in the realm of artificial intelligence.
“Overregulating the AI sector could stifle a transformative field just as it’s beginning to flourish,” Mr. Vance told global leaders and tech industry magnates in the opulent surroundings of the Grand Palais in Paris.
The US Vice President specifically called out the European Union’s Digital Services Act for its “massive regulations surrounding content removal and policing so-called misinformation,” which he argued imposes an unjust burden on American technology giants.
Mr. Vance also criticized China as one of several “authoritarian regimes” seeking to leverage AI for enhanced control over citizens domestically and abroad.
“Cooperating with such regimes means binding your nation to an authoritarian ruler intent on infiltrating, embedding themselves, and seizing your information infrastructure,” Mr. Vance remarked.
He referred to “affordable technology … heavily subsidized and exported by authoritarian regimes,” alluding to surveillance cameras and 5G mobile internet equipment widely distributed by China.
Additional reporting AFP
