In February 2025, France will host the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit, bringing together global leaders, thinkers, academics, businesspeople, and civil society to reflect upon what the AI revolution will mean for the world. AI is poised to usher in significant changes to the global economy, trade, education, government, employment, health, arts and culture. At this critical juncture, Dr Patricia Scanlon and Ambassador Henri Verdier discuss the Irish and French perspectives on what Artificial Intelligence might mean for not only their own countries, but for citizens all over the world.
This event has been organised in conjunction with the Embassy of France in Ireland
About the Speakers:
Henri Verdier is Ambassador for Digital Affairs at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. He has led the France’s digital diplomacy since 2018. Henri Verdier is co-founder and CEO of MFG Labs, an internet-based startup involved in social data mining, and chairman of the board of Cap Digital, the French-European Cluseter for Digital Content and Services. Ambassador Verdier has co-authored three books written in French, L'Age de la Multitude, Entreprendre et Gouverner Après la Révolution Numérique (The Age of Multitude, Entrepreneurship and Governance after the Digital Revolution), in 2017, Des Startup d’État à l’État plateforme ( From State Startups to the Platform State), and Le Business de la haine : Internet, la démocratie et les réseaux sociaux (The Business of Hate: Internet, Democracy and Social Networks).
Dr Patricia Scanlon is Ireland’s AI Ambassador, a role which she has held since 2022, and chair of Ireland’s AI Advisory Council. In 2013, she founded SoapBox Labs, a pioneering company specialising in ethical voice AI technology for children with application across education and gaming. SoapBox Labs became a global leader and was acquired by US-based Curriculum Associates in 2023. Her innovative contributions to the tech industry earned her recognition by Forbes as one of The World’s Top 50 Women in Tech in 2018.
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Brigid Laffan, Carsten Søndergaard, Marcin Terlikowski, Ben Tonra - 14/11/2024
'Europe’s Security and Defence: Where We Stand'
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 transformed the threat perception for many European democracies. Russia has emerged as Europe’s most powerful and menacing power, willing to retool its economy for war and accept hundreds of thousands of casualties in the pursuit of territorial conquest. In response, democratic Europe is re-arming and providing unprecedented assistance to the defence of Ukraine. Brigid Laffan, Carsten Søndergaard, Marcin Terlikowski, and Ben Tonra will join this edition of IIEA Insights to assess Europe’s preparedness in an utterly changed security environment and what the election of Donald Trump as US president means for the US commitment to European security.
Brigid Laffan is Emeritus Professor at the European University Institute in Florence and was Director at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies until her retirement in August 2021.
Carsten Søndergaard served as a Danish diplomat until August 2022. His final position was as Denmark’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation (2018-2022).
Marcin Terlikowski is Deputy Head of Research at the Polish Institute of International affairs.
Ben Tonra is Full Professor of International Relations at the UCD School of Politics and International Relations and Project Leader for the IIEA’s policy group on European Security and Defence.
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What’s on Europe’s Horizon?: Technologies, Trends, and Policies Shaping Ireland’s Long-Term Future
The world can increasingly be characterised by uncertainty and transformations. Climate change, geopolitical competition, demographic changes, and new innovations in technology, including artificial intelligence, have prompted the need to reflect upon the implications which these changes may mean for society and businesses across Europe. In this panel discussion, expert speakers drawn from EU institutions and Ireland reflect upon how Europe can thrive in a changing world and ensure that the EU and its Member States are best positioned to meet the challenges and to identify the opportunities which may arise therefrom.
Speakers will include:
Pascal Leardini, Chair of the European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS), and Deputy Secretary-General and Chief Operating Officer of the European Commission
Peter Clifford, Head of Strategy at Research Ireland
Elena Lazarou, Senior Analyst at the European Parliamentary Research Service
Kevin Flynn, Head of the Irish Liaison Office for Research and Innovation in Brussels, Enterprise Ireland
Una Fitzpatrick, Director of Technology Ireland
This panel has been organised in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland, and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
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Being Human in the Age of AI
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has seized public consciousness in recent years, but public attention has often focused on the technological aspects of AI. However, as AI is inserted into every part of daily life, from dating to doctor consultations, it is important to ensure that this technology is adopted in a human-centric way. Susie Alegre examines AI through the lens of international human rights law to explore the legal frameworks we need to build the human-centric future we want.
About the Speaker:
Susie Alegre is an international lawyer specialising in technology and human rights and a Senior Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI). A barrister and Associate at Garden Court Chambers in London, she has worked in the field of public international law and human rights around the world for organisations including Amnesty International, the European Union, the OSCE and the UN. She is the author of Freedom to Think, a Financial Times Technology book of the year and Human Rights, Robot Wrongs: Being Human in the Age of AI published in 2024.
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The Green Transition and the Investment Opportunity for Africa
In her address, Dr Songwe acknowledges that the bulk of the cost of the climate transition in many low- and middle-income countries will be borne by governments, with the private sector and Multilateral Development Banks playing a complementary role. Country platforms, transition plans and “Nationally Determined Contributions” (NDCs), in her view, should play a critical role in identifying priority financing needs and in coordinating global and domestic climate finance. She argues that Governments must use all levers to raise long-term affordable finance and create the fiscal space for investments needed to meet the challenge. A Green industrial strategy is the key to translating transition plans and NDCs into clear investment pathways for public, private and multilateral finance.
About the Speaker:
Dr Vera Songwe is Chair and Founder of the Liquidity and Sustainability Facility and a senior non-resident fellow at the Brookings Institution on Global Economy and Development. Songwe has led numerous efforts to bring greater prosperity to Africa, including as the former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). Dr Songwe is also a global climate champion. She is the Co-Chair of the Independent High-Level Expert Panel on Climate Finance, where she has supported the government of the UK and Egypt for COP27 and also for Egypt and the UAE under COP28.
Ireland