AQW 42967/22-27

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 23/03/2026
Answered On Date: 20/04/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the status of the development and implementation of an Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Action Plan for Northern Ireland, including how it aligns with the Programme for Government commitments on public service transformation.

Answer:

We established the Office of AI and Digital as a key commitment within our Programme for Government. The Office has been supporting the development of an Artificial Intelligence Strategy aimed at guiding responsible and ethical adoption of AI in the public sector, to contribute to modern, efficient and citizen focused public services.

The drafting stage incorporated structured input from all nine departments, as well as contributions from an external advisory panel consisting of experts from the Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre (AICC), industry partners, and academic institutions. We will shortly launch a public consultation on the Strategy to invite broader stakeholder and public feedback on the proposed framework. This consultation will help us refine and finalise the Strategy to ensure it is evidencebased, robust, and aligned with our needs.

Development of our AI capability is a key driver of wider public sector transformation, so this work is closely aligned to the work of the Public Sector Transformation Board. Our officials continue to engage across the NICS to map the interdependencies, opportunities, risks, and capacity requirements that will help shape a detailed AI Action Plan.