IMPACT communications officer Niall Shanahan joined a panel discussion on the topic of artificial intelligence as part of Science Week earlier this month. The Science Gallery in Dublin hosted a series of talks, The End is Nigh, exploring contemporary scientific and technological developments that pose an existential threat to the human race.

Left to right: Anton Savage; Barry O'Sullivan; Niall Shanahan; Mary Aiken and CJ Cullen

He joined Professor Barry O’Sullivan, deputy president of the European Association for Artificial Intelligence, Mary Aiken, forensic cyber-psychologist and Lieutenant Colonel CJ Cullen, deputy director of the defence force’s communications corps. Niall was invited to reflect on the implications of artificial intelligence and automation for workers and trade unions.

He said: “In terms of imagining a future where artificial intelligence is part of the labour market, we have to answer some questions. For example, where is AI best applied? There are certain human interactions that we know we do not want displaced, and people will always seek quality human interactions."

Niall added that replacing workers has a very high social cost that’s difficult to calculate in advance. It was in this context that Niall brought up IMPACT’s resistance to staffless libraries. He said the proposal to replace librarians with machines would have social effects that would only become apparent in years to come.

The panel was hosted by Today FM’s Anton Savage and is available to view on the Science Gallery’s Facebook page.