A powerful set of available AI tools will help improve the resilience of much of Ireland’s ageing infrastructure, which is increasingly exposed due to increased floods, storms and other climate-related disasters, according to consultancy firm Deloitte.
The newly reviewed National Development Plan (NDP) “offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to future-proof Ireland’s infrastructure” but AI needs to be widely deployed, said Stephen Prendiville, Deloitte Ireland’s infrastructure and sustainability lead.
He was commenting on a global report published on Wednesday, which finds AI-enabled infrastructure resilience could help prevent about €65 billion in annual damage worldwide by 2050 – about 15 per cent of projected global losses due to natural disasters. A specific figure for Ireland is not given.
With €275 billion planned in the NDP through to 2035, Mr Prendiville said, “we have the capital needed. We now need to move forward at pace, with smarter planning and data-driven decision-making. AI is rapidly transitioning from being experimental to being an important part of the solution.
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“With the right vision and collaboration, [AI] can help leaders build infrastructure that’s stronger, more efficient, more sustainable and future ready, helping ensure future disruptions are less severe or can be more easily mitigated,” he added.
The report by Deloitte’s Centre for Sustainable Progress outlines how AI technologies can play a role at every stage of infrastructure life cycles, from planning and prevention to “rapid post-event recovery”.
In urban and regional planning, AI-powered digital predictive models can now support better land use via land elevation data, soil saturation and urban density, it finds.
Meanwhile, machine learning can power early warning systems for floods, helping authorities reduce human and economic impacts, while AI-enabled inspection tools can speed up damage assessments and accelerate infrastructure repair, minimising costs and economic disruption, the report says.
From storm-related power outages to repeated flooding, Mr Prendiville said Irish infrastructure was increasingly vulnerable to climate impacts. “New stresses are now also emerging with more extreme temperatures being experienced as a rule in summer and winter.”
[ Climate scientists to receive €2.8m for flood future-proofing projectsOpens in new window ]
A Deloitte survey warned earlier this year that climate change could cost the Irish insurance industry up to €1.5 billion over the next decade, driven by more frequent extreme weather events.
“We found the availability and rising cost of reinsurance was one of the biggest challenges for Irish insurers offering flood-risk cover,” said Noel Garvey, an actuary with Deloitte Ireland.
“If AI, predictive analytics and shared climate intelligence can give governments, scientists, insurers and services the foresight to act earlier, respond faster and recover more effectively, it can turn what are often devastating losses into more manageable challenges, keep more people safe and costs down,” he added.
Technology and data were as critical as physical flood defences in protecting against extreme weather events, he said.
Storm Éowyn earlier this year resulted in insurance claims of more than €300 million. “The cascading impacts of persistent power failure, exacerbating the lack of water and telecom service during this time, must be a wake-up call for authorities when it comes to the resilience of our infrastructure,” Mr Garvey said.
“Met Éireann has already set out its ambition to move beyond broad, countrywide weather alerts and towards more localised, geo-specific warning systems,” Mr Prendiville added. “With the integration of AI and enhanced data and analytics, these forecasts could be made far more precise.”
