UK Government AI Opportunities Action Plan Unveiled

Ever since the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union, Northern Ireland has been presented with new, uncharted opportunities due to its unique relationship with the EU, and the ever-evolving landscape of AI is no exception.

This week, the UK Government unveiled its AI Opportunities Action Plan, with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Keir Starmer, stating his intention for the UK to ‘win the global race’ on artificial intelligence. The Prime Minister has announced £14 b in inward investment into artificial intelligence, facilitating both the creation of jobs and global investment in the UK AI sector, heralding a new dawn for AI in both Britain and Northern Ireland.

The implications of the Windsor Framework mean that Northern Ireland will require extra consideration in respect of the rollout of the Action Plan, and different rules may apply in Northern Ireland following the introduction of the new EU AI Act.

Despite the Brexit process removing the UK’s membership from the European Union, Northern Ireland retained unique access to both the UK and EU markets, being able to access the EU’s bloc’s market for goods. The new EU AI Act ostensibly widens the scope of the customs border in the Irish Sea to capture certain digital operations, potentially meaning that the regularisation of AI could be disparate between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

The EU AI Act entered into force on 1 August 2024 and its provisions will be phased-in over a 36-month period.  The extent to which the EU AI Act will apply in Northern Ireland remains to be seen, with indications from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland that the substantive provisions of the EU AI Act would apply only following agreement by the withdrawal agreement joint committee.

The team at A&L Goodbody are on hand to provide bespoke, commercial advice on how businesses in Northern Ireland can best harness these new regulatory frameworks to fully realise the AI opportunities that these changes will introduce. With such an experienced, profound AI talent base in Northern Ireland, the opportunities in this area are huge. 

Please contact Aisling Byrne, Partner, Kathy Regan, Senior Associate, Keith Dunn, Senior Associate, Niall O’Hare or your usual ALG contact with any queries.

Date published: 17 January 2025