Artificial intelligence: governments see huge business potential, but ignore the downsides

Many governments are increasingly approaching artificial intelligence with an almost religious zeal. By 2018 at least 22 countries around the world, and also the EU, had launched grand national strategies for making AI part of their business development, while many more had announced ethical frameworks for how it should be allowed to develop. The latest is Ireland, which has just announced its national AI strategy, "AI – Here for Good". It aims to become "an international leader in using AI to benefit our economy and society, through a people-centred, ethical approach to its development, adoption and use". This is to be obtained via eight policy commandments, including increasing trust in and understanding of AI by using an "AI ambassador" - a veritable AI high priest – to spread the message around the country. Another aspect is to promote AI adoption by Irish businesses and the government within a special moral and ethical framework.