Councillors debate AI use in Limerick Christmas 2026 video

City councillors criticised the use of artificial intelligence in the Metropolitan District’s “Christmas in Limerick 2026” promotional video, calling it potentially misleading for the creative sector.

At the October meeting, members argued that AI suggested artists could be replaced, while the Council’s Festivals and Events team clarified that the video was produced by Render Vision, an architectural rendering firm specialising in photorealistic visualisation.

The team explained that two 3D artists worked exclusively on the project for four weeks, creating the CGI and AI visualisation from technical CAD site layouts, scale drawings and detailed specifications. After iterative feedback, the final video was approved and delivered on 16 October.

Green Party councillor Seán Hartigan dismissed the controversy as a “non‑issue”, describing the video as “great” and noting that the carbon impact of data centres is minimal. He highlighted that AI’s share of global emissions is about 0.2 per cent, far less than the emissions from a short car journey.

AI Oversight Committee to review policy

The Council’s AI Oversight Committee will consider the concerns raised and explore a human‑centred approach to image rendering within an emerging AI policy.

Source: Limerick Post. Photo: Erik Mclean / Pexels.