Ireland: New Technology

The EU launched a call for tenders to establish up to 7 AI Gigafactories across Europe, with more than €30 billion of expected public and private investment to boost computing capacity, support AI innovation and strengthen the EU's position as a global AI leader.

As the EU AI Act's Article 50 transparency obligations approach their 2 August 2026 enforcement date, organizations face critical requirements to disclose AI interactions, label deepfakes, and mark synthetic content. This session examines the practical implications of these transparency mandates, drawing on the European Commission's recently published Guidelines and Code of Practice to help stakeholders prepare for compliance.

The EU AI Act's transparency obligations take effect from 2 August 2026, requiring organisations across the EU to disclose when and how they use AI in customer-facing tools like chatbots and content generators. With Ireland's new AI Office now established and regulatory scrutiny intensifying, businesses face the challenge of mapping existing AI deployments and embedding appropriate disclosures into their products and services before enforcement begins.

Michael Egan and Louise O'Byrne explore how technology and AI are transforming employment investigations and workplace relations, examining the complexities of modern digital evidence across multiple platforms.

The Central Bank of Ireland has released its comprehensive Annual Report 2025, detailing achievements across monetary policy, financial stability, and regulatory supervision while outlining strategic priorities for 2026. Key developments include the implementation of the Consumer Protection Code 2025, enhanced operational resilience requirements, and advancing climate risk integration across the financial sector.

The European Commission has published draft guidelines to help businesses determine whether their AI systems fall under the high-risk category of the EU AI Act. These non-binding guidelines interpret key classification concepts and provide practical examples across three main sections: general assessment principles, AI systems embedded in regulated products, and standalone high-risk AI systems. Understanding these guidelines is crucial for providers and deployers seeking to navigate AI compliance requiremen

The European Data Protection Board has released a draft template for Data Protection Impact Assessments, marking a significant step toward harmonizing GDPR compliance across the EU.

The provisional agreement was reached following pressure from various stakeholders to agree the final text ahead of the high-risk AI system rules and other provisions of the AI Act coming into force on 2 August 2026.

Dr Barry Scannell and tech entrepreneur Sean Blanchfield explore the transformative shift from AI copilots to autonomous agentic AI systems that are already functioning as digital workers within organisations. The discussion delves into how these AI agents are reviewing contracts, monitoring compliance, managing projects, and writing software, while examining the critical implications for governance, security, data protection, and the future of professional work.