EU faces pivotal moment as Ireland pushes AI regulation and copyright safeguards

During a conference on Copyright and Human Creativity in the Age of AI, Irish policymakers and media representatives stressed that Europe stands at a critical juncture for AI governance. Naoise Ó Cearúil, chair of the Oireachtas joint committee on AI, argued that countries leading in regulation will maintain an advantage, while laggards will fall behind, and called for an international treaty similar to those governing nuclear technology.

Moderated by journalist Dearbhail McDonald, the forum featured Ruadhán Mac Cormaic, editor of one outlet, who described large-language models as having scraped internet content without consent, effectively creating billion-dollar enterprises at the expense of creators. He framed the practice as theft and demanded a level playing field where creators receive proper remuneration. Participants warned that unchecked AI threatens the viability of news publishers and urges regulatory action to protect intellectual property while preserving creative freedom.