Campaigners have warned of the risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI) for unemployed people.
The Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU) has highlighted concerns around digital skills gaps, as well as fears that AI could be used for profiling jobseekers.
The risks and potential of AI were debated at the annual delegate conference of the INOU which was held in Dublin.
Delegates debated a motion calling on the Government to ensure any use of AI in the public employment service involves service users in the decision making and evaluation processes of its usage.
The conference heard that the service should take careful consideration in using AI, particularly when it comes to the profiling of service users amid fears over potential equality and human rights implications.
"Our concern is that if we don't ensure social inclusion and equality are built into how systems are designed that they could copper fasten inequalities in Irish society," said Bríd O'Brien, Director, Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed.
"So we really need to make sure that as we move forward, these services are accessible and people know how to use them," Ms O'Brien said.
The INOU conference was opened by Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary.
"Digitalisation and technological change is something that has become a driving force for my department," Mr Calleary said.
"In addition, our public employment service is learning and evaluating where generative AI can best support the delivery of employment services to jobseekers and to employers," he added.
Another motion at the conference called on the Government to keep its promise to ensure that the Living Wage replaces the National Minimum Wage.
Additionally, the INOU called for the benchmarking of all social welfare rates at a level that is sufficient to lift people above the poverty line and to reverse the doubling of the penalty rate for people on a jobseekers payment, introduced in 2024.
