Ireland is at risk of ‘missing the boat on the AI revolution’ and with it significant sums of foreign direct investment, a former Amazon employee has warned. 

According to one estimate by Stanford University, corporations invested some $252.3 billion in the technology last year. 

It is a sum that is only expected to increase as demand for AI surges.

On Newstalk Breakfast, former country leader for Amazon Web Services Mike Beary said there is a “real risk” Ireland will miss out on AI investment without infrastructure improvements.

He added the world is in the middle of an AI “goldrush” and noted tens of billions is being invested in AI over in Britain. 

“The UK Government has been very clear on their green ambitions, their sustainable power ambitions,” he said.  

“They’re putting public money and public support behind the AI revolution. 

“If Ireland isn’t going to do that, we’re going to miss the boat on the AI revolution.” 

Mr Beary added that Ireland has spent far too long “reflecting” on energy policy, rather than simply building what is needed.

“We know that we’re in a massive infrastructure investment deficit - which is a legacy of the crash,” he said. 

“So, the Government that came into power in the last 12 months have set out an ambition which is to be welcomed. 

“They’ve announced in the new National Development Plan that they’re going to invest €3.5 billion with ESB and Eirgrid to address those gaps in the infrastructure.” 

A data centre. Picture by: Dmitriy Shironosov / Alamy Stock Photo

The Government is considering whether new data centres should be built in rural Ireland, as opposed to the greater Dublin area. 

Mr Beary described this as “media speculation”, but said the focus needs to be on increasing energy generation. 

“It’s a good signal that they’re showing a level of flexibility about they’re thinking about growth for energy users,” he said. 

“But to be honest with you, this is a small issue relative to the bigger issue of electrification of our society and our economy.

“The whole of society is moving faster and faster to full electrification - whether that’s heat pumps, EVs in your driveway, whether it’s the new Metro. 

“Everything is going to be run by electricity and Ireland, at this stage, is in danger of being left behind in the race that matters, which is the dual transition of digitisation of the economy and decarbonisation of the economy.” 

Opponents of data centres and AI fear that their high energy usage has put Ireland at risk of missing binding EU climate targets.

Main image: Artificial intelligence concept. Picture by: Alamy.com