Greens fail to hold up Belfast's £4.6million artificial intelligence plan

Belfast councillors moved ahead with a £4.6 million artificial intelligence programme after a Green Party proposal to pause the plan failed at a council committee. The Strategic Policy and Resources Committee agreed to start work on the AI Adoption programme for Belfast Region City Deal partners, pending approval of the business case by the Stormont Department for Economy, before a full council vote expected this week. Critics argue the environmental impact of the Belfast City Region Deal AI scheme can’t yet be fully known. Signed in 2021, the wider £1 billion City Deal targets growth, up to 20,000 jobs, and regional transformation. The package includes multiple local projects and infrastructure upgrades.