Barry Scannell, a consultant in William Fry’s Technology Department, has been appointed to Ireland’s AI Advisory Council by Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Dara Calleary.
The Advisory Council is an independent task force which will provide expert advice to the Government with a specific focus on building public trust and promoting the development of trustworthy, person-centred AI. Its first role will be providing expert guidance, insights, and recommendations in response to specific requests from Government. Its second role will be developing and delivering its own workplan of advice to Government on issues in artificial intelligence policy, providing insights on trends, opportunities, and challenges.
The council, which is chaired by Dr Patricia Scanlon, is made up of 14 members with a range of disciplines including academia, tech, legal, and business.
“Ireland has a wealth of experience and expertise in Artificial Intelligence. My ambition is that we become a leading country in using AI to the benefit of our people, through a human centred and ethical approach to AI adoption and use. We have the building blocks in place in our National AI Strategy. The AI Advisory Council will support the delivery of this as an agile sounding board for Government on harnessing these rapidly developing technologies for the common good,” said Minister Calleary in his welcome to the first meeting of the Council.
Barry Scannell is an AI law specialist with a particular focus on copyright, IP, technology law and data protection. Barry is currently studying a PhD in the field of AI and advises on the adoption and implementation of AI technologies and implications of EU digital legislation such as the AI Act, AI Liability Directive and the DSA. Providing advice to major online platforms on text and data mining, data sets, model training, IP issues in foundation models, the impact of generative AI; data protection compliance for AI technologies; contract drafting, negotiation and review to incorporate AI specific provisions; and preparedness for the AI Act regulations.
“William Fry is proud to be involved in Ireland’s AI Advisory Council. It is vital to have a legal voice in the conversation when looking at these powerful emerging technologies that have the potential to both disrupt and support existing systems across all industries. Barry Scannell, and William Fry’s Technology Department, have years of experience at the forefront of this changing, digital environment so Barry is perfectly placed to contribute a comprehensive legal perspective to the Advisory Council on these matters,” – Owen O’Sullivan Managing Partner, William Fry.
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