This article examines whether dismissals prompted by artificial intelligence fall within the concept of redundancy under Maltese law. It argues that while AI-driven workforce reductions may formally satisfy the statutory test, they occupy the outer limits of the doctrine. Where the work output requirement persists and only the human element disappears, the analysis queries whether the proscriptive function of the law shifts from elimination of function to substitution of labour – a distinction that may invite stricter scrutiny by the Industrial Tribunal. The note further considers the procedural obligations that attach to such dismissals, the employer’s duty to explore alternatives, and the extent to which EU law and policy reinforce domestic protections in the context of technological displacement.

Introduction

The traditional understanding of redundancy is deceptively simple and blunt: the job disappears, therefore so does the employee. Artificial intelligence disrupts that simplicity in ways that existing legal frameworks were not designed to address.

Where once a production line might close, or undergo enhancements to the machine-driven aspects of production, and render its operatives genuinely surplus to requirements, the modern employer has the opportunity to deploy automated systems capable of performing the same tasks continuously and at lower cost. The result is the same as a machine replacing a human: the output remains. The economic activity is unchanged. What has altered is the identity of the actor performing the work.  It’s happened before, but in a post-Orwellian environment, the perception of machine substituting the human is more acute.

This gives rise to a more nuanced question: can redundancy truly exist where the work persists, but the human performing it is replaced by an algorithm?

The issue is not merely theoretical. It goes directly to the validity of dismissals, the entitlements of affected employees, and the legal exposure of employers who characterise such terminations as redundancies without properly interrogating whether that label is sustainable.

Maltese Industrial Tribunal reasoning has consistently favoured substance over form in assessing dismissals. That redundancy by reason of structural change is a valid redundancy (mechanisation taking over jobs) was accepted by the Tribunal.¹

It is open to debate today, however, whether the Tribunal would adopt the same point of view without going deeper into whether the function survives in materially similar form.  Of late, Tribunals have shown a willingness to look beyond formal restructuring and examine whether a claimed redundancy is genuine even by taking into account whether “the job still exists”.

AI-driven dismissals, especially if on a large scale, bring that tension into sharp focus.

Legal Framework

Redundancy in Malta is grounded in the Employment and Industrial Relations Act (“EIRA”), which recognises termination as lawful where it is based on a valid reason connected with the employer’s operational requirements.² While the Act does not exhaustively define redundancy, it is understood – consistently with comparative jurisprudence – to arise where the employer’s requirement for employees to carry out work of a particular kind has diminished.

Collective redundancies are governed by the Collective Redundancies (Protection of Employment) Regulations,³ which transpose Council Directive 98/59/EC.⁴ These impose mandatory procedural obligations, including consultation with employee representatives and prior notification to the Director of Employment and Industrial Relations (DIER).

At EU level, the framework is primarily procedural. Directive 98/59/EC regulates the manner in which redundancies are effected rather than defining their substantive validity.⁵ The question whether a redundancy exists remains a matter of national law, albeit one that must be interpreted in conformity with EU principles.

AI and the concept of redundancy

AI-driven redundancies expose a structural tension within the conventional redundancy model. The work continues. The output remains necessary. Only the human input is removed and replaced by automated processes.

On a literal reading of the statutory formulation – namely that the employer’s requirement for employees has diminished – such situations may fall within redundancy. However, this interpretation stretches the concept toward its outer boundary. Redundancy has historically been associated with a reduction in the need for work, not merely a reduction in the need for human labour where the work itself persists.

This distinction is not semantic. It marks the difference between:

• diminution of operational need, and
• technological substitution of labour.

If the latter is accepted uncritically as redundancy, the doctrine risks becoming a vehicle for workforce reduction of a fundamentally different character – one in which human labour is displaced while the underlying activity remains intact or is even expanded.

Genuineness and tribunal scrutiny

Maltese law requires that redundancy be genuine. The Industrial Tribunal is not bound by the employer’s characterisation of the dismissal and will assess the substance of the situation.⁶

Where AI is introduced, the Tribunal is likely to examine:

• whether the role has genuinely ceased to exist;
• whether its constituent functions continue in materially similar form; and
• whether those functions have simply been reallocated to automated systems.

A redundancy driven by operational necessity is legally distinct from one driven purely by efficiency or cost optimisation. While cost considerations may form part of an employer’s rationale, they cannot, without more, justify a redundancy where the underlying work remains substantially unchanged.⁷

The risk is that a purported redundancy may be re-characterised as an unjustified dismissal, with the consequences that follow under Article 36 of the EIRA.⁸

Procedural obligations

Under the Collective Redundancies Regulations, employers must:

• consult employee representatives in good time and with a view to reaching agreement; and
• notify DIER prior to implementing dismissals.⁹

These obligations are mandatory and independently enforceable.

In the context of AI-driven restructuring, consultation must be meaningful. It requires the employer to explain:

• the rationale for automation;
• the selection of affected employees; and
• the alternatives considered, including redeployment and retraining.

Consultation conducted after the decision is effectively finalised risks being treated as a mere formality and therefore non-compliant. This is consistent with the interpretation of Directive 98/59/EC by the Court of Justice, which emphasises the effectiveness of consultation as a substantive safeguard.¹⁰

Selection and alternatives

Employers must apply objective and non-discriminatory selection criteria and must consider whether affected employees can be retained through redeployment or retraining.¹¹

AI does not necessarily eliminate all human involvement. Many automated systems require:

• supervision;
• quality assurance;
• exception handling; and
• system training or calibration.

Accordingly, the employer must demonstrate – on the evidence – that such alternatives were genuinely explored and found to be unviable. A failure to document this exercise may be taken as evidence that it was not properly undertaken.

Unfair dismissal

Under Article 36 of the EIRA, a dismissal must be based on a valid reason and carried out in accordance with a fair procedure.¹² These requirements are cumulative.

A dismissal presented as redundancy will fail the validity test where the redundancy is not genuine. Even where a substantive justification exists, procedural defects – such as inadequate consultation or failure to consider alternatives – may independently render the dismissal unfair.

EU Law and policy context

Directive 98/59/EC establishes a procedural baseline for collective redundancies but leaves substantive definitions to national law.¹³

However, broader EU instruments, including the European Pillar of Social Rights, articulate policy commitments to:

• fair working conditions;
• protection against unjustified dismissal; and
• support for workers affected by labour market transitions, including technological change.¹⁴

While not directly enforceable in the same manner as directives, these instruments exert interpretative influence. Where domestic law admits of more than one reading, an EU-conforming approach may favour stricter scrutiny of dismissals arising from technological substitution.

Transfer of business

The impact of the acquired rights protection regimen also bears some consideration.  The law, prompted by EU-level regulation, tends towards protection of workers whose job has been “moved on”.  In this case, one is looking at moving the job to ChatGPT or Claude or Perplexity (this one is invented) but there’s something to be said for this aspect also having an impact.

Conclusion

AI-driven redundancies may occupy contested legal ground. While they may satisfy the literal wording of the statutory test, they challenge the conceptual foundations of redundancy by decoupling the disappearance of work from the dismissal of workers.

They therefore attract heightened scrutiny. The Tribunal is likely to examine not only whether the employer’s need for employees has diminished, but also whether the underlying work has in fact disappeared or has merely been reassigned to automated systems.

Employers contemplating AI-driven workforce reductions must engage seriously with both the substantive and procedural dimensions of redundancy. These are not formalities to be addressed retrospectively, but conditions that determine whether the redundancy label is legally available.

The trajectory of the law is already discernible: dismissals that substitute human labour with algorithmic processing, without a genuine diminution in the work itself, will be treated with caution. Those who treat this terrain as settled rather than contested do so at their peril.

Andrew Borg-Cardona is a lawyer, graduated in 1980, with a particular interest in employment law.

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Footnotes

1. See generally the approach of the Industrial Tribunal favouring substance over form in dismissal cases under Chapter 452 of the Laws of Malta. (See also GWU v De La Rue 1998 per Debono C et)
2. Employment and Industrial Relations Act, Chapter 452 of the Laws of Malta, Article 36.
3. Subsidiary Legislation 452.80, Collective Redundancies (Protection of Employment) Regulations.
4. Council Directive 98/59/EC of 20 July 1998 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to collective redundancies.
5. Ibid., particularly Articles 2–3.
6. EIRA, Article 36; see also consistent Tribunal practice assessing the real reason for dismissal.
7. Compare UK jurisprudence for persuasive guidance: Murray v Foyle Meats Ltd [1999] ICR 827 (HL), confirming that redundancy may arise where the employer’s need for employees diminishes, though not determinative in Maltese law.
8. EIRA, Article 36(2).
9. Subsidiary Legislation 452.80, Regulations 4–5.
10. Case C-188/03 Junk v Kühnel [2005] ECR I-885, emphasising the timing and effectiveness of consultation.
11. Derived from general principles of fair dismissal under EIRA and Tribunal practice.
12. EIRA, Article 36.
13. Directive 98/59/EC, cited above.
14. European Pillar of Social Rights (2017), Principles 5 and 7.

The post Artificial Intelligence and Redundancy under Maltese Employment Law – an examination of the borders of the law first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Artificial Intelligence from Science Fiction to Reality examines various aspects, starting with the evolution of human and artificial intelligence (AI). It places AI in its proper context and discusses non-technical aspects, such as philosophical and social issues. The major challenge leaders are likely to encounter is deciding what functions are to be entrusted to AI and how humanity can exercise control over them. The book also focuses on the hardware and software technology that support AI, and the essential cyber security systems that are required to address the evolving AI threat landscape. It examines centres for AI safety that are nonprofit research organisations, which focus on the mitigation of AI risks by proposing solutions against threat actors.

The book discusses the knowledge-based economy, particularly Enterprise AI, and examines the ethical and legal issues that emerge from the practical implications of AI. While most governments have endorsed voluntary ethical and moral charters, there is a reluctance to introduce binding legislative measures. This reluctance is based on the premise that specific laws might hinder AI innovation. Furthermore, detailed private and public sector case studies are presented that demonstrate how AI applications may be successfully implemented according to a practical framework. A detailed discussion about the implications for human development is presented. The differences between key economic approaches, such as knowledge-based economy, digital economy and automated economy are examined, and how these will be impacted by AI in relation to job displacement, data privacy and security, and algorithmic bias. Finally, the book also examines the era beyond AI where organoid intelligence is emerging. It explores future human development where humans could be turned into cyborgs with hi-tech machine implants, re-growable limbs and nanotechnology that repair damaged tissue, rejuvenating human cells leading to immortality.

Silvio Schembri, Minister for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects, said: “Dr Camilleri’s book Artificial Intelligence from Science Fiction to Reality provides a timely and thought- provoking exploration of how AI is reshaping our economies and societies. It successfully bridges the technical, ethical, and strategic dimensions of AI, offering valuable insights for policymakers, industry leaders, and the public alike. As Malta continues to champion innovation while safeguarding human values, this book makes a welcome and relevant contribution to the ongoing dialogue on responsible AI adoption.”

Extract from foreword written by Dr Robert Abela, Prime Minister of Malta. “This book is especially significant for Malta. As a nation that has persistently exceeded expectations in digital technology adoption and innovation, Malta is situated at a pivotal juncture of opportunity and accountability. Over recent years, our government has made huge investments in digital infrastructure, e-government services, emerging technologies, and cybersecurity. In consideration of the present and future, as articulated in the Vision 2050 for Malta, artificial intelligence serves as a pivotal driver for national prosperity and the transformation of the public sector, fostering innovation, enhancing citizen services, and ensuring that the government remains adaptable and proactive in an increasingly digital landscape. The role of visionary leadership, such as that demonstrated by Dr Camilleri, can empower a smaller state to assume a prominent role in the global digital discourse.”

Emanuel Camilleri is a visiting senior lecturer at Malta University and has authored several books. His most recent publication is “Key Performance Indicators: The Complete Guide to KPIs for Business Success” (Routledge, 2024). He has occupied senior management posts in industrial engineering, finance and ICT sectors in Malta and Australia. Recently, he was appointed Chairman of the Planning Authority, Planning Board, Malta.

Other publications authored by Eur. Ing. Dr Emanuel Camilleri for international distribution

The post AI in context: Evolution, ethics, security and the future of humanity first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Picture Republic Street on a July afternoon. A German cruise passenger dips into a souvenir shop, grabs a triton-blue glass bowl, taps her phone on the terminal and walks out before her tour guide has finished counting heads. Moments later, a sixth-form student tops up his Tallinja card inside a boiling bus shelter, meets the biometric prompt on his screen with a quick thumb-press and hears the familiar beep of a successful load. Neither buyer sees a text message. Neither waits for a one-time password that may never arrive. Behind both transactions lies the quiet upgrade known as EMV 3-D Secure 2.3, the latest safety net the card schemes have rolled out to tell real shoppers from fraudsters without killing the checkout queue.

Maltese merchants know the pain of earlier versions. The first 3-D Secure felt like a trapdoor: a pop-up box demanded a long-forgotten static password, and many holidaymakers abandoned the basket. Version 2.1 removed some friction but still asked visitors to plough through redirects that looked like phishing pages. Version 2.2 reduced challenge rates, but it often rejected legitimate cards due to the issuing bank’s lack of context. Was the cardholder truly in Żebbuġ, or did a scammer in Kiev copy the number? The new 2.3 build tips the balance at last. It lets the shop’s payment gateway pass richer clues, such as device ID, previous spend patterns, and whether the customer used Face ID at the start of the session, straight to the bank in the background. With those extra crumbs, the bank can wave through low-risk sales inside half a second and reserve the heavy checks for the dodgy ones. When extra proof is still needed, the protocol keeps the shopper in the same window and leans on the phone’s built-in fingerprint or face reader, so the screen never jumps and roaming charges never block an SMS.

Early pilots of 2.3 in Spain and the Netherlands show challenge rates falling for domestic and cross-border card processing. That matters because fraud in Malta exceeds the EU average. Every notch of extra trust means fewer chargebacks and, over time, lower processing fees that filter back into menu prices. The gains are not just for bricks-and-mortar tills. Try booking an online lesson on your phone. In the past, you hit “pay now” and waited for a bank code that might arrive after you lost signal. Under 2.3, the merchant can flag the transaction as “decoupled”, collecting your details on Monday but asking the bank to authorise only when the deposit is due on Wednesday. You enjoy a clean booking flow; the bank still gets time to weigh the risk. Small-ticket buys improve as well. The spec supports a ‘data-only’ flow that lets merchants share extra data with the issuer without full authentication. The merchant sends a risk profile to the bank, which checks it in the background. If either party detects a problem, the payment is stopped before any funds leave the account, preventing later disputes.

Switching to the new system should be relatively easy. In fact, for most local shops, it boils down to four quick checks. First, call your payment provider or bank and ask: “Does our till already send the extra fraud-fighting clues to card issuers?” Those clues include little things like whether the customer checked out as a guest, how old the shipping address is, and if a loyalty card was used. They’re free to pass on and provide the bank with the missing context that prevents good sales from being blocked. Second, update the payment plug-in inside your app or website. The latest version recognises the phone’s fingerprint or face reader, allowing customers to stay on the same screen without being redirected to a potentially suspicious pop-up. Third, make sure there’s a safety net. If a tourist’s bank or an older handset can’t handle 2.3 yet, the transaction should quietly fall back to the previous version rather than fail outright. Finally, brief your team. A card terminal might now ask for a thumbprint and display a prompt. A simple line, “Just place your finger on your phone, please”, will keep the queue moving and the smiles flowing.

What of privacy? More data points change hands, but each travels inside a cryptogram and never lands on the merchant’s server. Under the GDPR, your gateway must display a brief notice indicating that device information aids in the fight against fraud. Most shoppers skim and tap “agree” because the benefit is clear: they have a lower risk of their card being copied and a lower chance of their holiday purchase being declined. Still, a merchant who stashes raw card numbers on a back-office computer should stop immediately. Modern payment tools store only a scrambled stand-in for the card, so even if someone hacks your computer, they find nothing they can spend.

Will the upgrade end fraud entirely? Of course not. Card thieves will hunt weaker links such as mule accounts and fake identities. Yet by making genuine purchases almost invisible to the customer, 2.3 shrinks the space for criminals. The protocol is global, so a stolen French card that fails in Valletta today helps block a similar attempt in Vienna tomorrow. For the man on the street, the change feels almost boring: the payment simply works. And that is the point. Technology should protect, not pester.

So, whether you run a stall at Marsaxlokk market or a boutique hotel in Mdina, tick four boxes: confirm your gateway speaks 2.3, pass every safe data crumb you can, enable biometric prompts, and coach your staff. Do that and you will greet the coming tourist rush with shorter queues, happier guests, and a budget that shrinks instead of swelling. For everyone else, the result is straightforward. Tap. Pay. Done. Then get on with the real summer business; an extra scoop of helwa tat-turk ice-cream, perhaps, or another quick dip at St Peter’s Pool, without a single thought for the invisible shield guarding your card along the way.

Prof. Alexiei Dingli is Professor of Artificial Intelligence

The post Tap, pay, done: How the new system stops fraudsters without slowing your shopping spree first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Malta’s standing as a hub for financial services and iGaming brings growth, jobs and international attention. Banks, payment providers and online gaming operators come here for a stable regulatory framework and a skilled workforce. That success also attracts risk. Financial crime, money laundering and problem gambling are constant threats. The volume and velocity of modern activity make it impossible for human teams to track everything unaided. Used well, artificial intelligence can act as a new line of defence by supporting human judgment rather than replacing it.

For years, many institutions relied on static anti‑money laundering rules. Threshold triggers generated a large number of alerts, overwhelming analysts and still missing sophisticated schemes. AI changes the approach. Machine‑learning models can study historic and live transactions to spot unusual patterns and adapt as criminal tactics evolve. In practice, this moves firms from box‑ticking to risk‑led monitoring. Alerts become more precise, and scarce compliance time goes to the cases that matter.

Onboarding is an equally important pressure point. Know Your Customer checks must be quick enough to avoid losing legitimate clients, yet robust enough to keep criminals out. AI tools help verify identities and assess risk by reading and cross‑checking documents, registry data, media reports and other public sources. Natural language processing can sift large volumes of unstructured information for red flags in seconds. The result is faster processing with a lower error rate. That said, the technology is only as good as the data behind it. Poor data or opaque models can introduce bias, so firms must combine efficiency with explainability and sound data controls.

The gaming sector remains one of Malta’s economic pillars and illustrates the balance required. The Malta Gaming Authority sets expectations on player protection, including self‑exclusion options, deposit limits and staff training. Enforcing these policies across thousands of players and multiple platforms is resource-intensive. AI can help by monitoring behaviour at scale. Real‑time analysis of gameplay can identify markers of harm, such as rapid increases in spending or time online. Where risk is detected, operators can trigger targeted interventions, for example, a cooling‑off prompt, a message that points to support services or a temporary limit on activity.

To achieve this, trustworthy use of AI is essential. Clear principles should guide deployment: accountability, fairness, transparency, data integrity, security and privacy. Operators need to keep humans in the loop and tell customers when automation is being used. Models should be tested for bias and audited regularly. Without a firm governance framework, technology can backfire and erode confidence among players and regulators alike. The goal is not surveillance for its own sake but timely, proportionate interventions that reduce harm.

Financial institutions face many of the same issues as operators. Traditional rules generate heavy workloads and too many false positives. Well‑designed models can cut the noise and improve detection rates. Predictive analytics allows teams to anticipate suspicious movements before losses occur. By aggregating insights across clients, products and geographies, institutions can identify emerging risks earlier, including new laundering typologies or the misuse of crypto assets. These insights help firms allocate resources more effectively and support better policy-making by supervisors.

None of this removes the need for transparency. Regulators in Malta and abroad expect auditable decisions. If a system flags a client as high risk, a compliance officer must be able to explain why. That is harder with complex deep‑learning models. Firms, therefore, need to balance power with interpretability and reserve the most opaque techniques for use in cases where they can be explained and governed. Documentation, model validation and regular review are not box‑ticking exercises. They are the basis of defensible compliance.

People remain central. AI will not run a compliance function on its own. Teams need the skills to understand outputs, challenge assumptions and set thresholds that reflect real risk. Many firms have found value in embedding data specialists directly within compliance so that technical and regulatory expertise sit side by side. Training should cover data quality, model limitations and ethical use, not just tools. The strongest programmes pair technology with a culture that encourages staff to speak up when something does not look right.

Integrating AI into anti‑money laundering and responsible gaming frameworks is a significant undertaking. Models must be trained on representative, high‑quality data. Privacy obligations must be respected at every step. Bias has to be tested for and mitigated. There is competition for experienced data scientists, and compliance professionals are already stretched. Yet the prize is substantial: better detection, faster onboarding, lower operational cost and higher confidence among customers and regulators.

The choice for Malta is not whether to use AI, but how to use it well. The island has an advantage in its compact size, concentration of expertise and established regulatory infrastructure. If firms invest in specialist talent, strengthen governance and keep humans firmly in control, AI can help Malta’s flagship sectors set standards rather than chase them. That will protect consumers, deter criminals and reinforce the country’s reputation as a trusted, innovative jurisdiction.

The post The new watchdog: Using AI to ensure compliance and conquer fraud in Malta’s financial and iGaming hubs first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Betlookr, Game Lounge’s upgraded and rebranded AI-powered sports prediction tool, has been changing the game for sports bettors worldwide since its launch.

Building on the success of its popular predecessor, Pick Street, Betlookr continues to serve as a testament to Game Lounge’s commitment to enhancing the user experience in the iGaming industry.

Through Betlookr, the leading iGaming affiliate – which has a network of more than 130 websites in over 60 countries – provides a constantly evolving platform that serves predictions, betting tips, data, research tools, and analytical content.

Designed to offer accurate, data-driven insights into the sporting events and betting markets that will most likely generate a profitable return, Betlookr offers weekly AI-generated predictions from 50 major international soccer-football leagues. The platform leverages AI, maths and machine learning, alongside extensive data from each league and match and past performance, to create unbiased betting tips.

Meanwhile, Betlookr continues to evolve: Game Lounge aims to keep expanding Betlookr’s offerings, incorporating research tools, extra analytical content and American football predictions to give users even better odds of improving their betting strategies.

David Crowhurst, Managing Director for GLX at Game Lounge, shared his excitement about the platform’s ongoing success: “We’re proud of Betlookr’s fresh and energised new form since its rebranding, providing sports bettors access to one of the most reliable, data-backed prediction tools available on today’s market. With a new name, new domain and new platform, Betlookr takes Pick Street to the next level, as an innovative platform that offers powerful insights for users.”

Betlookr remains available for free for a limited time, inviting sports bettors to experience its powerful prediction tools and analysis first-hand.

For more information, visit Betlookr at www.betlookr.com and Game Lounge at www.gamelounge.com.

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‘Besides notable market activity in the UK, Ireland and Wales, EBO has signed an agreement with a major healthtech player in Italy, we’re about to open an office in Milan, will onboard the first Italian hospital this year and we’re planning to enter France and Germany markets very soon,’ says Dr Gege Gatt, founder and CEO of EBO

In 2019, EBO set up in Malta with a singular vision: to craft an Artificial Intelligence platform that could transform human communication into automated interactions. Six years later, the company is already serving 16 NHS Trusts with a catchment of 14 million patients across the UK, Ireland and Wales, and is making significant strides into other European markets.

The latest addition to EBO’s network is the Sheffield Health & Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, a development described as ‘pivotal’. Why?

Sheffield Health & Social Care NHS Foundation Trust is the 16^th NHS trust to recognise EBO as its preferred AI partner, highlighting EBO’s sustained and collective achievements in transforming healthcare through technology. The assigned project is a key advancement in healthtech innovation, accessibility and patient experience. It re-imagines traditional Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) into AI-driven dialogues with empathy, enhancing patient care and insights. This initiative aligns with the NHS Trust’s 2025 strategy to prioritise digital innovation to improve health outcomes and showcases the potential of AI in enhancing healthcare while serving as a reliable model for other NHS trusts seeking to adopt these digital solutions. With millions of PROMs conducted across the UK annually, this solution creates a significant market opportunity for automation. 

Apart from the growth curve that you are experiencing, what tangible deliverables are there that confirm that your solution is living up to its mission?

In the healthcare sector, EBO’s AI solutions have demonstrated notable achievements. Patient satisfaction rates reached an impressive 94% in 2023, underscoring the effectiveness of the offering and its adoption in the market; 42% of patient interactions occurred outside regular office hours, showcasing the strength of 24/7 availability which is not possible through human-only activity. This not only benefits patients but also streamlines tasks for staff, enabling them to focus on more complex responsibilities. Additionally, our AI Recognition Rate, which refers to the capability of the solution to recognise patient requests and handle them autonomously, is at an impressive 97%. Above all, there is the financial advantage. For every 20,000 patients validated, EBO presents £137,000 in savings compared to existing processes. With most hospitals serving around one million patients, this entirely changes their operating economic model.

EBO has been backed by venture capital investment. How was this instrumental to EBO’s growth?
Investment into EBO catalysed growth, helping us scale up solutions without the immediate pressure of generating profits in the first year, by growing the team, investing in R&D to enhance our Intellectual Property, and scaling the infrastructure to support a growing customer base. Our growth is not just geographical. Our revenues have doubled year-on-year for the past three years and our EBITDA grew four-fold from 2022 to 2023. The financial backing allowed EBO to aggressively pursue new markets and verticals within healthcare and finance, remain competitive, adapt swiftly to market demands and stay ahead of competition.

Privacy and security of patient data are two crucial factors, especially for digital solutions like those offered by EBO.

Beyond our security protocols such as ISO27001 certification, Cyber Essentials Plus certification and our partnership with Microsoft for in-territory cloud deployments, we remain committed to a wider debate on privacy and ethical AI. We acknowledge that innovations introduced hastily may have negative consequences that may erode societal trust in technology. As Europe undergoes significant digital transformation, it is necessary to balance technological advancement with pro-privacy requirements and enhance educational frameworks to foster a culture of creativity and innovation in technology. Governments must also empower the marginalised members of society with education, information and skill investment to ensure their inclusion and mitigate threats to those lacking power and agency.

EBO recently announced the launch of an AI-driven solution – the Digital Women’s Health Hub, taking its service level to a gender-based level.

That’s right. We have developed an AI-powered Women’s Health Hub to address women’s healthcare challenges, placing special attention on gynaecological issues. Aligned with the UK government’s strategy, our solution offers 24/7 support, access to accurate and reliable information and enables patients to manage their healthcare. By applying advanced technology like NLP and Machine Learning, we want to empower women with comprehensive personalised healthcare information, bridging the gap between patient needs and services, and ensuring no woman in the UK is left behind.

What do you think of the current startup ecosystem, what new opportunities are worth exploring by current startups and what’s lacking?

Today, EBO operates across 11 territories, including the UK, US, Armenia, Macedonia, Italy, France, Cyprus, Greece and Malta. However, we refer to Malta as our base. We have found a strong pool of skills and an exceptional work ethic but as we grew, we experienced the lack of an ecosystem that was conducive to acceleration. As a result, we established a strategic presence in London where we unlocked talent and leveraged new market opportunities. It also helped us access other international markets and enhance our focus on R&D, particularly through partnerships with technology giants like Microsoft, IBM and OpenAI. 

How does EBO anticipate the future of AI-driven platforms in healthcare evolving, and what role does it aim to play in shaping that future? 

All stakeholders in the healthcare industry must focus on harnessing data to predict patient needs based on established patterns. But this wealth of information must be turned into actionable insights. The future of healthcare is one where collaboration between AI and humans becomes standard. With EBO’s collaboration with the UK’s NHS, we are witnessing an evolution in service culture. Studies show more willingness among patients and clinicians to engage with automated AI. This is promising and augurs well.

What new opportunities is EBO exploring? 

Besides our geographical expansion, we are working on projects in social care and local authority services in the UK, driven by a growing demand for efficient and technology-driven solutions. We are also deploying our first solutions with the transformative potential of Speech AI – a game-changer in fostering inclusivity and accessibility, especially in healthcare.

The post AI company EBO expanding in Europe first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Dr Cutajar, who contributed towards this law as Rapporteur for the Transport and Tourism Committee’s position, welcomed how this regulation aims to address risks that artificial brings with it, whilst also contributing to more safety and privacy in vital sectors such as transport and health.

She also highlighted the importance that the EU further incentivises investment in technological solutions that will bring improvements to our quality of life, such as helping to ease traffic congestion and pollution or increasing accessible transportation for persons with disability or mobility issues. Josianne Cutajar also welcomed the fact that this legislation will allow small market actors, our SMEs, to reap the benefits of this fast evolving sector.

The MEP concluded by stating that while the adoption of this legislation is a cause for celebration, much more policy and legislative work on AI will be necessary in the coming months and years, be it when it comes to civil liability in case an accident occurs due to an AI system, or the use of AI at the workplace. “I remain hopeful that the spirit of the AI Act, and its appeal for clear and transparent rules, will permeate future policymaking in the field,” stated Dr Cutajar.

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This partnership presents Maltese companies with the ability to harness artificial intelligence to support their ESG requirements and the adoption of sustainable business practises and corporate governance.

The partnership agreement between iMovo and EthicsAnswer emphasises their joint commitment to working together in the field of Artificial Intelligence and ESG services. With a shared vision of advancing ethical business practises and utilising technology for the common good, iMovo and EthicsAnswer are working with organisations in the field of ESG across a number of geographies.

EthicsAnswer aims to solve the #1 pain facing Chief Sustainability Officers, namely the time taken, and distraction caused by ESG disclosure requests from customers, investors and increasing regulatory standards. There are many ESG reporting platforms currently proliferating; but the best that ESG professionals can currently hope for is to copy-and-paste answers from one platform to another, and to maintain a set of ‘approved’ answers in a spreadsheet. EthicsAnswer simplifies the ESG disclosure processes with its ground-breaking and user-friendly solution by utilising AI to generate answers based on answers previously provided, with references back to publicly available data and uploaded reports. More than yet another chatbot, users of EthicsAnswer’s platform can download fully completed ESG surveys in minutes resulting in customer, investor or regulatory diligence being a pain-free process.

Pierre Mallia, Managing Director of iMovo, in a statement about the partnership “As an advisory firm in the field of digital transformation, we recognised the growing importance of ESG in the corporate agenda. We have had a three year association with EthicsAnswer and we felt the time was ripe to launch our ESG advisory service line and this partnership to offer the solution to our customers in Malta and abroad. “

Charles Radclyffe, CEO of EthicsAnswer, echoed these sentiments: “We are excited to partner with iMovo to expand the reach of our AI-powered ESG services. By pooling our expertise and resources, we aim to drive positive change in corporate sustainability practises and promote responsible business behaviour.”

Under the terms of the partnership, iMovo will act as the exclusive partner for EthicsGrade in Malta, Cyprus, Portugal and Italy, among others, with further expansion plannedin the future.

Charles Radclyffe will be present at the forthcoming event hosted by iMovo Ltd on the 26 March – Digital Transformation Unplugged: Driving Growth through AI, Automation, and Data. Charles will deliver a session highlighting practical applications of Generative AI, with a particular focus on accelerating the achievement of net zero targets and governance objectives.

For more information about iMovo and EthicsAnswer, please visit https://imovo.com or https://ethicsanswer.com respectively.

The post iMovo Ltd announces strategic partnership with EthicsAnswer to advance AI-driven ESG solutions first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Yesterday the European Parliament approved the Artificial Intelligence Act that ensures safety and compliance with fundamental rights, while boosting innovation.

The regulation, agreed in negotiations with member states in last December, was endorsed by MEPs with 523 votes in favour, 46 against and 49 abstentions.

It aims to protect fundamental rights, democracy, the rule of law and environmental sustainability from high-risk AI, while boosting innovation and establishing Europe as a leader in the field. The regulation establishes obligations for AI based on its potential risks and level of impact.

The regulation is still subject to a final lawyer-linguist check and is expected to be finally adopted before the end of the legislature (through the so-called corrigendum procedure). The law also needs to be formally endorsed by the Council.

It will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the official Journal, and be fully applicable 24 months after its entry into force, except for: bans on prohibited practises, which will apply six months after the entry into force date; codes of practise (nine months after entry into force); general-purpose AI rules including governance (12 months after entry into force); and obligations for high-risk systems (36 months).

Banned applications

The new rules ban certain AI applications that threaten citizens’ rights, including biometric categorisation systems based on sensitive characteristics and untargeted scraping of facial images from the internet or CCTV footage to create facial recognition databases. Emotion recognition in the workplace and schools, social scoring, predictive policing (when it is based solely on profiling a person or assessing their characteristics), and AI that manipulates human behaviour or exploits people’s vulnerabilities will also be forbidden.

Law enforcement exemptions

The use of biometric identification systems (RBI) by law enforcement is prohibited in principle, except in exhaustively listed and narrowly defined situations. “Real-time” RBI can only be deployed if strict safeguards are met, e.g. its use is limited in time and geographic scope and subject to specific prior judicial or administrative authorisation. Such uses may include, for example, a targeted search of a missing person or preventing a terrorist attack. Using such systems post-facto (“post-remote RBI”) is considered a high-risk use case, requiring judicial authorisation being linked to a criminal offence.

Obligations for high-risk systems

Clear obligations are also foreseen for other high-risk AI systems (due to their significant potential harm to health, safety, fundamental rights, environment, democracy and the rule of law). Examples of high-risk AI uses include critical infrastructure, education and vocational training, employment, essential private and public services (e.g. healthcare, banking), certain systems in law enforcement, migration and border management, justice and democratic processes (e.g. influencing elections). Such systems must assess and reduce risks, maintain use logs, be transparent and accurate, and ensure human oversight. Citizens will have a right to submit complaints about AI systems and receive explanations about decisions based on high-risk AI systems that affect their rights.

Transparency requirements

General-purpose AI (GPAI) systems, and the GPAI models they are based on, must meet certain transparency requirements, including compliance with EU copyright law and publishing detailed summaries of the content used for training. The more powerful GPAI models that could pose systemic risks will face additional requirements, including performing model evaluations, assessing and mitigating systemic risks, and reporting on incidents.

Additionally, artificial or manipulated images, audio or video content (“deepfakes”) need to be clearly labelled as such.

Measures to support innovation and SMEs

Regulatory sandboxes and real-world testing will have to be established at the national level, and made accessible to SMEs and start-ups, to develop and train innovative AI before its placement on the market.

“We finally have the world’s first binding law on artificial intelligence, to reduce risks, create opportunities, combat discrimination, and bring transparency. Thanks to Parliament, unacceptable AI practices will be banned in Europe and the rights of workers and citizens will be protected. The AI Office will now be set up to support companies to start complying with the rules before they enter into force. We ensured that human beings and European values are at the very centre of AI’s development, ” said Internal Market Committee co-rapporteur Brando Benifei, During the plenary debate on Tuesday.

Civil Liberties Committee co-rapporteur Dragos Tudorache said: “The EU has delivered. We have linked the concept of artificial intelligence to the fundamental values that form the basis of our societies. However, much work lies ahead that goes beyond the AI Act itself. AI will push us to rethink the social contract at the heart of our democracies, our education models, labour markets, and the way we conduct warfare. The AI Act is a starting point for a new model of governance built around technology. We must now focus on putting this law into practice”.

The post Artificial Intelligence Act: MEPs adopt landmark law first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

“Nearly every industry is undergoing a collective transformation and discovering entirely new ways of working due to AI advancements. Microsoft Ignite has now showcased the advances being developed to help customers, partners and developers achieve the total value of Microsoft’s technology and reshape the way work is done. Copilot for Microsoft 365 in fact, is already reducing digital debt and increasing productivity so people can focus on the work that is uniquely human,” said Microsoft.

In addition to the staggering productivity increase:

• 68% said it improved the quality of their work and helped jumpstart the creative process
• users were 29% faster at specific tasks such as searching, writing and summarizing
• 64% said Copilot helps them spend less time processing email
• 75% are saving time by finding whatever they need in their files
• 77% said that once they used Copilot, they don’t want to give it up. 

Building on the early access program, Microsoft Ignite 2023 has now presented its new wave of AI: a showcase of 100 new advances that touch on multiple layers of an AI-forward strategy, from adoption to productivity to security to a number of tools that enable people and businesses achieve more.

These include Microsoft Azure Maia, an AI Accelerator chip designed to run cloud-based training and inferencing for AI workloads such as OpenAI models, Bing, GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT, Microsoft Azure Cobalt, a cloud-native chip based on Arm architecture optimized for performance, power efficiency and cost-effectiveness for general purpose workloads and the general availability of Azure Boost, a system that makes storage and networking faster by moving those processes off the host servers onto purpose-built hardware and software.

“Microsoft is championing generative AI to address critical challenges in business and society. With a commitment to responsible and secure product development, we are offering copilot capabilities, industry-specific solutions, and collaboration for custom AI solutions, aiming to accelerate AI transformation in partnership with all our customers and partners,” concluded Microsoft.

The post Microsoft’s AI driven Copilot already led to 70% increase in productivity amongst businesses first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.