Barry Phillips (CEO) BEM founded Legal Island in 1998. Since then, the company has become the leading workplace compliance training company in the island of Ireland. He was awarded a British Empire Medal in the New Year’s Honours List 2020 for services to employment and equality.
Barry is a qualified barrister, coach and meditator and a regular speaker both here and abroad. He also volunteers as mentor to aspiring law students on the Migrant Leaders Programme.
Barry is an author, releasing his latest book titled 'Mastering Small Business Employee Engagement: 30 Quick Wins & HR Hacks from an IIP Platinum Employer' in 2020 along with Legal Island MD Jayne Gallagher.
Barry has worked at the European Parliament, the European Court of Human Rights and the International Labour Organisation in Geneva before qualifying as a lawyer in 1993.
He has travelled extensively and lived in a total of eight different countries considering himself to be a global citizen first, a European second and British/Irish citizen last of all. His guiding mantra in life is “Never react but respond. Get curious not furious.”
Barry is an Ironman and lists Russian language and wild camping as his favourite pastimes.
They say that every good article starts with a strong opening so here’s mine: some employers are already compliant with the duty provided by the EU AI Act to ensure AI Literacy at work.
When Article 4's AI literacy obligation quietly came into force on February 2nd this year, it might have seemed like just another regulation lost in the noise of global headlines. Between Elon Musk's latest confrontations with government institutions and Trump's controversial foreign policy statements, you'd be forgiven for missing this crucial development. But here's the surprising news: the European Living Repository of AI Literacy Practices has just revealed that numerous organisations are already compliant. The repository documents ten full pages of fully compliant organisations, with an additional twenty pages listing those partially meeting the requirements.
Among the early adopters, we find both industry giants and smaller innovators. Booking.com, the Netherlands-based travel platform, has implemented a comprehensive three-tier training program:
- AI Basics: Establishing a common vocabulary and understanding of fundamental concepts, distinguishing between AI and machine learning, and clarifying terms like "LLM"
- Company-Specific Applications: Applying these concepts to their unique business context
- Regulatory Framework: Examining AI regulations and their intersection with existing legal frameworks
Or consider Telefonica in Spain, another major player taking the lead. But it's not just the giants - smaller organisations are also stepping up. In Ireland, OpenSky Data Systems in Kildare has achieved compliance, as has Anekanta AI, a UK-based micro-employer with fewer than 15 staff.
But what does compliance really mean for the typical employer? AI literacy expert Ben Jones, in his forthcoming book, outlines six essential components:
- Critical assessment of AI-generated results and recommendations
- Output verification for accuracy
- Recognition of potential biases and limitations
- Understanding when human judgment should take precedence
- Proficiency in data preparation and analysis using AI tools
- Effective communication of AI-generated outputs
These early adopters are setting the standard for AI literacy in the workplace, demonstrating that regardless of size or sector, compliance is achievable with the right approach.
That's all for this week's update. Join me next week for more insights into AI and HR.
Continue reading
We help hundreds of people like you understand how the latest changes in employment law impact your business.
Please log in to view the full article.
What you'll get:
- Help understand the ramifications of each important case from NI, GB and Europe
- Ensure your organisation's policies and procedures are fully compliant with NI law
- 24/7 access to all the content in the Legal Island Vault for research case law and HR issues
- Receive free preliminary advice on workplace issues from the employment team
Already a subscriber? Log in now or start a free trial