Council moves to limit AI's impact on borough's creative sector

Councillors are to seek legal advice before deciding on measures to ensure AI generated content does not replace professional designers or artists employed by the council.

Sinn Féin proposals aimed at protecting real-life humans working in Causeway Coast and Glens creative sector were tabled at Cloonavin's Corporate Policy and Resources Committee on Tuesday evening.

However, members unanimously agreed to delay adoption after concerns were raised over its impact on regulations on fairness in the tender process.

“We need to be sure that this motion complies with procurement regulations,” said the DUP's Mervyn Storey.

“If we are going to go down this road, we could be pitting business against business and that is a very dangerous precedent to be setting.”

He was backed by party colleague Darryl Wilson who agreed a “belt and braces” approach was needed “to keep ourselves right.

The motion was initially proposed by Sinn Fein's Ciaran McQuillan.

It's aim, he said, was “to safeguard local digital designers and artists from AI displacement”.

He asked the committee to place on record council's recognition of “the vital contribution of digital designers, artists, and creative professionals to the cultural, economic, and community life of the Causeway Coast and Glens area.

He went on to remind members of the sector's “growing concerns” around “the rapid and unregulated use of artificial intelligence in design, illustration, branding, and digital content production,

Cllr McQuillan said AI risks “undermining local employment, devaluing creative skills, and eroding opportunities for emerging artists”.

He called on councillors to prioritise “locally produced human created digital design and artwork” in all Council communications, branding, promotional materials, and commissioned projects.

He said guidance should be developed to ensure AI generated content does not replace professional designers or artists within Council procurement processes.

Meanwhile, he asked for engagement with the sector to understand the challenges posed by AI and to support sustainable, fair employment within the sector.

Cllr McQuillan said the council should be advocating for ethical, transparent, and responsible use of AI technologies across the council area, ensuring they complement rather than replace human creativity.

Among those to back the motion was Alliance Councillor Yvonne Boyle.

“AI is already with us - on all our phones, across social media and operating in many sectors,” she said.

“It presents immense opportunities, such as in the health sector, where it is already being used by researchers and healthcare practitioners to develop new effective treatment pathways for patients.

“It also is presenting a range of challenges and risks, including its rapid development and unimagined capabilities, that require management and mitigation.

“It will of course impact different sectors in different ways and we need to make sure that there is a proper public conversation about AI going forward

“As a published writer and poet myself, I have been aware for some time of the disquiet that the work of writers and artists is being subsumed into AI data without consent or recompense.

Ald Boyle continued: “It will of course impact different sectors in different ways and we need to make sure that there is a proper public conversation about AI going forward

“I therefore welcome the Motion ensuring Council is mindful, proactive, informed and transparent in the ongoing use of AI technologies in Council work and communications”.