Boland highlights civil society’s AI message at EU meeting

President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Ballycumber native Seamus Boland, has met with European Council President António Costa to set out organised civil society’s priorities for the development of a people-centred artificial intelligence (AI).

Boland is the lead voice of organised civil society in Europe, representing employers, workers and civic society organisations, with a mandate until March 2028.

The discussion covered the implications of AI for workers, businesses, communities and wider society.

President Boland welcomed the opportunity to input directly into the discussion at the highest EU political level and present the EESC's work on AI.

“Our message is clear: Europe needs an AI ecosystem that combines competitiveness with trust. Innovation must go hand in hand with fundamental rights, safety and social cohesion, and people must remain firmly in control,” President Boland said.

He stressed that AI should support human decision-making rather than replace human responsibility, particularly in sensitive areas such as healthcare, justice, education, employment and social services.

The President highlighted three priorities for Europe, ensuring the EU AI Act works effectively in practice, including for SMEs and start-ups; investing sustainably in Europe’s AI capacity, from research and computing to cloud infrastructure and skills and ensuring that workers are involved in the transition through social dialogue and collective bargaining.

Crucially, he emphasised that civil society must have a "seat at the table" and have a real voice as European AI policy continues to evolve.

President Boland also stressed the importance of giving younger generations strong AI literacy and critical-thinking skills so they can participate confidently in an increasingly AI-enabled world.

“Europe’s success in AI will not be judged simply by what we can develop. It will depend on whether people trust the technology and whether its benefits are shared across society. The EESC stands ready to ensure that civil society’s voice is heard as Europe takes these decisions," President Boland concluded.