An eight-week consultation has opened on Northern Ireland's first draft strategy for the use of artificial intelligence across the public sector.
The Northern Ireland Executive document sets out an approach based on responsible, ethical and fair adoption. It was developed with input from government, industry and academia and is intended to guide how departments consider AI when designing and delivering services.
Eight principles sit at the centre of the draft: human oversight, accountability and redress, data governance, technical safety and security, fairness and transparency, sustainability, societal benefit, and training and literacy.
First Minister Michelle O'Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly launched the consultation on Wednesday. The Executive Office said the proposals are intended to support human decision-making and public confidence rather than remove responsibility from the people and organisations using the technology.
The consultation also asks how consistent standards can be applied across departments. Training is included as a central element because staff, managers and service users will need to understand both the capabilities and the limits of systems introduced into public administration.
Responses can be submitted until October 7. The Executive Office plans to analyse the submissions before bringing a final strategy to the Executive for agreement and publication.