The South Belfast MLA has said: “Artificial intelligence is a challenge of the here and now and is already reshaping our economy and society. It is fast-moving and evolving every day with new developments emerging from across industry and academia. It is vital that politicians and the government get engaged in that conversation.

“This APG will present a key forum to connect government, industry, academia and all other interested parties to support collaboration, connect with the latest research, and support MLAs to grapple with the complex outworkings of this new technology for our communities.

“AI presents a series of exciting possibilities but also risks and challenges, and we must be mindful of all possible outcomes and engage as widely as possible. 

“Government has a responsibility both to support the development of the opportunities emerging from AI, but also to deliver effective guardrails and safeguards to protect people and place. 

“My hope for this APG is that it will allow all of us to learn from one another on how AI is shaping our region, but also how we can shape AI to support improved governance and outcomes for everyone.”