Niamh Smyth AI warning: minister fears mass job losses

His comments come ahead of next week's AI summit

Niamh Smyth AI fears centre on jobs, not just risk

As she insisted fresh roles would also emerge thanks to AI, she said: "I'd have concerns around displacement and I would never shy away from that."

"I do believe there will be new jobs created. I do think the human oversight of any technology will have to remain in place. And AI jobs have certainly been on the rise in Ireland."

Smyth's sharpest language was reserved for what mass displacement could do to society.

She added: "I don't want to see mass displacement, because that innately causes civil unrest. It causes anarchy."

The minister added that the same technology can make it easier for unrest to spread quickly on social platforms.

What the Government's International AI Summit will cover

The summit at the RDS next week boasts an impressive line-up.

Among the speakers are Google DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis, while senior political and business figures will also be present.

The minister's remarks come days after it emerged Oracle is cutting a further 70 Irish jobs this year.

According to the firm, the cuts help fund its expanding push into AI infrastructure and data centres.

And compared to the White House, Smyth also signalled she would take a different approach.

She would have "a very different view than President Trump" on the technology, she told the Irish Times.

What are Niamh Smyth's main concerns about AI?

As her primary concern is job displacement, the minister told the paper that mass unemployment caused by AI could trigger civil unrest, saying: "I don't want to see mass displacement, because that innately causes civil unrest. It causes anarchy."

When is the Government's International AI Summit?

The summit takes place at the RDS next week, with Google DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis among the headline speakers.