To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to detail how Artificial Intelligence is being used by, and within (i) his Department; and (ii) the arm's length bodies sponsored by his Department.

My Department uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to:

Enhance staff productivity such as drafting emails or meeting notes and summarising reports

Provide coding assistance for IT developers

Automate documentary checks

Carry out remote sensing analysis on satellite, orthophotography and LiDAR imagery for environmental monitoring

Undertake predictive analysis and modelling for facilities development.

To ensure responsible use of AI, all potential use cases must have a risk assessment carried out, and approval from the DAERA Senior Information Risk Owner.

Turning to the arm’s length bodies sponsored by my Department:

Artificial Intelligence is increasingly being adopted within AFBI to

enhance efficiency, research capability, and evidencebased decisionmaking through a structured and controlled approach.

AFBI is currently piloting a Generative AI (GenAI) tool with users across business areas to assess its effectiveness in core tasks (e.g. drafting documents, analysing information, summarising policies), identify productivity gains, and evaluate output quality and required oversight. The trial also examines key risks, including data sensitivity, accuracy, and overreliance on AI, with findings informing future adoption decisions.

Alongside this, AFBI plans to integrate Artificial Intelligence into statutory and research work, including supporting data analysis, improving modelling and forecasting, and enhancing data handling and dissemination. Adoption is being managed carefully to ensure outputs remain robust, transparent, and scientifically defensible.

An AI Usage Policy is in place to define acceptable use, protect sensitive data, and ensure human oversight, aligned with public sector governance standards. This is supported by an AI Steering Group providing oversight and risk management, alongside an emerging Roadmap outlining a phased approach to adoption and alignment with wider digital transformation. Together, these measures ensure AI delivers efficiency and innovation while maintaining accuracy, security, and accountability.

Within the Livestock and Meat Commission Artificial Intelligence is used in a limited capacity to support the development of promotional materials, summarise documents, and assist with Excel formulae.

Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority (NIFHA) is at an early stage in its adoption of Artificial Intelligence, currently utilising it to support online research and to assist with the drafting and editing of papers and emails.

Artificial Intelligence is used within Loughs Agency support data analysis, as well as video imagery identification and classification.