155. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for a report on the recently launched ‘AI - Good for Business’ initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45348/26]

A key priority of the recently published national digital and AI strategy - Digital Ireland: Connecting our People, Securing our Future, is to accelerate the adoption of digital ad AI technologies across our enterprise base to improve competitiveness and productivity.

Central to this is the recently launched AI - Good for Business initiative, which serves as an umbrella framework for AI and digital transformation supports within my department. The initiative supports Irish businesses to adopt artificial intelligence into their day-to-day work and will:

• simplify access to information and supports about AI.

• show how AI is used in practice with real business examples and case studies.

• encourage gradual adoption by building awareness, skills and readiness.

AI – Good for Business provides a single national label for industry partners, institutions and businesses of all sizes to promote and engage with AI adoption in Ireland.

As part of the initiative, a nationwide series of Ministerial roadshows, delivered in conjunction with Local Enterprise Offices, is already underway. The roadshows bring AI ‘down to earth’ for SMEs by showcasing real-life success stories, explaining practical applications, and highlighting available supports.

The roadshows also spotlight the Government’s Charter for Digital Inclusion, a national initiative that brings together public bodies, businesses and community organisations to address Ireland’s digital divide. The Charter emphasises partnership, particularly the role of larger businesses in supporting SMEs and local communities to build digital skills, increase awareness, support digital adoption, and help people get online, promoting a more inclusive digital future.

Further actions include the development of a sector-focused AI adoption strategy, the appointment of AI Sector Champions, the establishment of OBAIR (the Observatory for Business AI Readiness), and a review of existing SME supports to ensure they remain effective and aligned with enterprise needs.

The implementation of the EU AI Act will ensure safe, ethical, human-centric use. A new independent AI Office of Ireland, planned for 2026, will act as the central coordinating authority for the EU AI Act, provide clarity and regulatory certainty for enterprise. It will serve as the Single Point of Contact for the European Commission, national sectoral regulators and the public and will establish a regulatory sandbox to support supervised innovation.

Overall, the AI – Good for Business initiative represents a key pillar of Ireland’s ambition to be a European leader in trustworthy, enterprise-driven AI adoption. It will ensure that businesses of all sizes are supported to adopt AI confidently and competitively, contributing to sustainable economic growth and digital transformation across the economy.