To ask the Minister for the Economy whether her Department plans to engage with the technology sector to promote ethical Artificial Intelligence development and safeguards against its misuse.

Ensuring that artificial intelligence (AI) is safely and responsibly developed and deployed is vital to ensuring that we can maximise the benefits of this technology to society.

The work of the AI Collaboration Centre, funded by my Department and Invest NI, in promoting AI awareness and adoption among businesses in the north includes a strong emphasis on ethical and responsible innovation.

The regulatory frameworks to govern AI are the responsibility of the British government and potentially the EU. My Department will continue to work on a collaborative basis within the north and across these islands, including with the technology sector, to harness the positive potential of the safe and responsible use of this technology.