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News

Microsoft Introduces AI Skills Initiatives for Rural Areas in Ireland

Microsoft has unveiled plans to introduce ‘AI Skill-Up-A-Thons’ in rural communities nationwide, alongside AI masterclasses tailored for businesses in the Kerry region.

The rural upskilling initiatives aim to furnish individuals with fundamental knowledge, skills, and proficiencies in Artificial Intelligence.

Participants completing the complimentary four-hour course will receive an industry-recognized Career Essentials Certificate in Generative AI and will be granted access to LinkedIn Premium, aiding those seeking to forge a career in AI.

Scheduled courses will be held in various counties such as Cavan, Galway, Kilkenny, Mayo, and Tipperary in the upcoming weeks, with additional locations set to be disclosed in the months ahead

The inaugural ‘AI Skill-Up-A-Thon’ took place at the Connected Hub in Knockmore, Co Mayo, and was attended by Minister for Trade Promotion, Digital, and Company Regulation, Dara Calleary.

AI tools and technology hold significant potential for reshaping how we operate and conduct business,” he said.

To fully leverage their advantages and realize the objectives of our National AI Strategy, individuals and businesses need to cultivate sought-after AI skills and capabilities.

The AI courses are delivered in collaboration with Fastrack into Information Technology (FIT) and enjoy the backing of local authorities, education and training boards, and the extensive network of Connected Hubs nationwide.

We aspire to empower individuals of all demographics and backgrounds with the skills and insights needed to thrive in an AI-driven economy through these novel AI learning pathways,” said James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Leader and Vice President Microsoft Global Operations Service Centre.

Furthermore, our forthcoming AI masterclasses, developed in partnership with the RDI Hub in Kerry, will aid businesses in acquiring the tools and expertise required to swiftly embrace AI and foster future growth.

AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution

Accessible for purchase on Amazon, AI Ireland’s latest book “AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution,” is your must read. For executives, policy architects or technology aficionados seeking to make sense of the intricate world of AI, “AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution” is your essential handbook. Available on Amazon Kindle or hard copy, this book furnishes you with the expertise and instruments required to employ AI both effectively and ethically.

Book an AI Presentation with AI Ireland today

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Professional services

E136 Kevin Magee, Chief Technology Officer at Zyte

Welcome to episode E136 of the AI Ireland podcast, the show that explores the applications and research of Data Science, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence on the island of Ireland.

Our mission is to increase the use of AI for the benefit of our society, our competitiveness and everyone living in Ireland.

Today’s guest is Kevin Magee, Chief Technology Officer at Zyte. Based in Cork, Zyte believe that businesses deserve a smooth pathway to data. For more than a decade, they have led the way in building powerful, easy-to-use ways to collect, format and deliver web data, quickly, dependably and at scale helping thousands of organisations make smarter business decisions, secure competitive advantage and drive sustainable growth.

Kevin’s career has been driven by helping organisations to grow, change and bring new products to market. He has been a leader in high-growth technology companies, the largest multinationals, academic AI research labs and investment firms. Kevin’s creative background pushes him to always be on the lookout for the magic that makes a product so compelling that users can’t do without it. 

Topics include:

  • An overview of his 30+ years experience in tech
  • Why AI must solve real problems, considering market viability and utility
  • How AI in traditional software demands nuanced data alignment
  • QA in dynamic data and AI with feedback loops and observability
  • Early legal involvement is crucial for ethical AI development & compliance
  • Choosing an AI service or self-hosting based on privacy and control
Subscribe to the AI Ireland Podcast

AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution

Accessible for purchase on Amazon, AI Ireland’s latest book “AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution,” is your must read for 2024. For executives, policy architects or technology aficionados seeking to make sense of the intricate world of AI, “AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution” is your essential handbook. Available on Amazon Kindle or hard copy, this book furnishes you with the expertise and instruments required to employ AI both effectively and ethically.

Book an AI Presentation with AI Ireland today

Discover tailored presentations designed to meet the unique needs of your industry. Gain invaluable insights into the transformative power of AI technologies, ensuring your organisation stays ahead of the curve. Equip your team and stakeholders with the knowledge they need to confidently embrace the future.

Don’t miss the chance to enlighten your team and explore how innovation is positively impacting your industry. Secure your presentation now!

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News

OpenAI Collaborates with Dublin City Council to Enhance Tourist Experiences

OpenAI has initiated a partnership with Dublin City Council, launching an innovative project aimed at enhancing the tourism experience through artificial intelligence. 

This collaboration has resulted in the creation of a groundbreaking tool, powered by Generative AI, designed to offer personalised travel itineraries for tourists.

Anna Makanju, OpenAI’s Vice President of Global Affairs highlighted the potential impact of this initiative. Our AI technologies, including GPT-4, have great potential to enhance how people explore and experience destinations,” she said. “We look forward to working together to create innovative solutions that will benefit visitors and cities alike.”

In alignment with this partnership, a workshop is scheduled to take place in Dublin this September. This event will gather tourism leaders from across Europe to discuss the application of AI in enhancing the tourist experience.

Dublin’s recent accolade as the European Capital of Smart Tourism by the European Commission last December underscores the city’s commitment to innovation in tourism. This title recognises the integration of technological advancements to improve the tourist experience.

Daithí de Róiste, Lord Mayor of Dublin, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration. “We are delighted to partner with OpenAI to support Dublin and European cities to realise the potential of AI to transform tourism experiences and offerings,” he said.

OpenAI stands at the forefront of generative AI technology, which can generate a wide range of content from simple prompts. The company has gained global recognition following the release of ChatGPT, which has attracted over 180 million users since its launch in November 2022.

AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution

Accessible for purchase on Amazon, AI Ireland’s latest book “AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution,” is your must read for 2024. For executives, policy architects or technology aficionados seeking to make sense of the intricate world of AI, “AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution” is your essential handbook. Available on Amazon Kindle or hard copy, this book furnishes you with the expertise and instruments required to employ AI both effectively and ethically.

Book an AI Presentation with AI Ireland today

Discover tailored presentations designed to meet the unique needs of your industry. Gain invaluable insights into the transformative power of AI technologies, ensuring your organisation stays ahead of the curve. Equip your team and stakeholders with the knowledge they need to confidently embrace the future.

Don’t miss the chance to enlighten your team and explore how innovation is positively impacting your industry. Secure your presentation now!

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Healthcare 2

E135 Gilyana Borlikova, Data Science Manager at ICON plc

Welcome to episode E135 of the AI Ireland podcast, the show that explores the applications and research of Data Science, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence on the island of Ireland.

Our mission is to increase the use of AI for the benefit of our society, our competitiveness and everyone living in Ireland.

Today’s guest is Gilyana Borlikova, Data Science Manager at ICON plc. Since their foundation in Dublin in 1990, ICON’s mission has been to help their clients to accelerate the development of drugs and devices that save lives and improve quality of life. They do this by delivering best in class information, solutions and performance, with an unyielding focus on quality at all times.

Gilyana was a nominee in the Women in AI Person of the Year at last year’s AI Awards for pioneering impactful AI solutions for clinical trials, including the award-winning OneSearch system. A pioneer for women in AI, Gilyana received recognition for her game-changing leadership within AI and Data Science, which reduces costs, improves efficiency and promotes innovation.

Topics include:

  • An overview of her role as Data Science Manager at ICON
  • Optimising clinical trial efficiency with an AI-driven site selection system
  • How OneSearch combines human expertise and AI for efficient clinical trial site selection
  • Overcoming data challenges such as using unsupervised learning for site judgement
  • Exploring generative AI cautiously & focusing on internal data applications
  • Being mindful of evolving tech and stability challenges
Subscribe to the AI Ireland Podcast

AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution

Accessible for purchase on Amazon, AI Ireland’s latest book “AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution,” is your must read for 2024. For executives, policy architects or technology aficionados seeking to make sense of the intricate world of AI, “AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution” is your essential handbook. Available on Amazon Kindle or hard copy, this book furnishes you with the expertise and instruments required to employ AI both effectively and ethically.

Book an AI Presentation with AI Ireland today

Discover tailored presentations designed to meet the unique needs of your industry. Gain invaluable insights into the transformative power of AI technologies, ensuring your organisation stays ahead of the curve. Equip your team and stakeholders with the knowledge they need to confidently embrace the future.

Don’t miss the chance to enlighten your team and explore how innovation is positively impacting your industry. Secure your presentation now!

Categories
Presentations

Ireland’s Position in the Global AI Landscape: Insights from Industry Leaders

In a recent panel discussion at Tech Tribes featuring AI Ireland Founder Mark Kelly, Accenture’s Paul Walsh and moderator Niamh Sterling, the spotlight was on Ireland’s burgeoning role in the global Artificial Intelligence ecosystem. 

This blog post delves into the insights shared, examining Ireland’s unique strengths, the challenges it faces, and the regulatory landscape shaping its AI journey.

Ireland’s Strategic AI Advantages
Ireland stands at a pivotal juncture in the AI domain, with its innovative companies and supportive policies driving growth. Our country’s AI ecosystem thrives on a robust foundation of tech-savvy talent and cutting-edge research institutions. 

Mark and Paul pointed out the critical mass of tech giants and startups fostering an environment ripe for innovation. “Ireland’s commitment to creating a conducive environment for AI growth is evident in its strategic investments in education and infrastructure.

Challenges and Opportunities

Despite its strengths, Ireland faces challenges, including the need for sustained investment in skill development and research. 

The panel underscored the opportunity to leverage AI to address societal challenges, from healthcare to environmental sustainability.

Navigating the Regulatory Landscape

A significant portion of the discussion was dedicated to the regulatory environment, particularly the EU AI Act

The consensus was that clear, flexible regulation is essential to foster innovation while ensuring ethical and societal concerns are addressed. 

Regulation should be a catalyst, not a barrier, to innovation.”

Case Studies

Mark also shared how there are three agnostic examples of how AI is being used successfully through Customer Service, HR onboarding and Sales & Marketing. 

Mark highlighted how Generative AI is assisting with the legacy modernisation of code which is updating Lotus Notes and Cobalt code bases with faster and more responsive infrastructure to write faster features and are more maintainable.

The Road Ahead for Ireland’s AI

Mark, Paul and Niamh concluded the discussion with a forward-looking perspective, emphasising the importance of collaboration among policymakers, industry leaders, and the academic community. 

The potential for AI to drive economic growth and societal progress in Ireland is immense, provided there is a concerted effort to navigate the challenges and harness the opportunities.

Conclusion and Call to Action

For Ireland to be on a path to becoming a global AI leader, achieving this vision requires active engagement from all stakeholders. Everyone is encouraged to contribute to the dialogue, explore AI opportunities in their sectors and participate in Ireland’s AI journey.

AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution

Accessible for purchase on Amazon, AI Ireland’s latest book “AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution,” is your must read for 2024. For executives, policy architects or technology aficionados seeking to make sense of the intricate world of AI, “AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution” is your essential handbook. Available on Amazon Kindle or hard copy, this book furnishes you with the expertise and instruments required to employ AI both effectively and ethically.

Book an AI Presentation with AI Ireland today

Discover tailored presentations designed to meet the unique needs of your industry. Gain invaluable insights into the transformative power of AI technologies, ensuring your organisation stays ahead of the curve. Equip your team and stakeholders with the knowledge they need to confidently embrace the future.

Don’t miss the chance to enlighten your team and explore how innovation is positively impacting your industry. Secure your presentation now!

Categories
Generative AI

Getting Generative AI Ready E05: ‘Explainable AI’ with GlobalLogic and AWS Ireland

Welcome to the final episode in our “Getting Generative AI Ready” series of the AI Ireland podcast, the show that explores the applications and research of Data Science, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence on the island of Ireland.

Our mission is to increase the use of AI for the benefit of our society, our competitiveness and everyone living in Ireland.

In the  fifth and final episode of this five-part podcast series, we’re joined by Dr. Maria Aretoulaki, Conversational and Generative AI Design Lead at GlobalLogic and Patrick Callaghan, Principal Data Strategy Technologist at AWS Ireland.

In this podcast, Maria emphasises the continued importance of design in the context of large language models (LLMs), despite the advances in technology. She discusses the challenges of the unpredictable and sometimes inaccurate outputs of LLMs, emphasising the need for design-led approaches to ensure control, explainability and transparency.

Patrick highlights the crucial role of due diligence in handling data and avoiding biases, emphasising the importance of correct data for successful generative AI outcomes. 

They both discuss the complexity of implementing generative AI technologies on an enterprise scale, emphasising the need for a team of trusted advisors and specialists. The discussion touches on data curation, language engineering, conversation design, and other aspects of the design process. 

Overall, they caution against underestimating the complexity of generative AI and advocate for careful consideration and control over data and outputs to maintain trust and consistency in customer experience.

In the final part of the discussion, previous guests Fawad Qureshi and Tim Marston join Patrick and Maria to offer advice to organisations venturing into Generative AI technologies. Emphasising the need to act promptly, they highlight the importance of carefully selecting use cases that align with organisational goals and future value. 

Stressing that no technology, including large language models, works perfectly off the shelf, they advocate for customisation with human involvement in design and data curation. The key challenge is finding a balance between the opportunities and risks associated with increased data access. 

They suggest organisations should not be paralysed by the fear of misuse but should be mindful and develop tools to address risks without hindering innovation. They caution against adopting technology without a clear business goal or a data culture, likening it to buying a treadmill without a fitness plan – likely to end up unused. 

Lastly, they highlight that a modern data strategy involves more than technology, encompassing a data-driven culture, mindset and organisational structure for efficient data sharing and collaboration. 

Subscribe to the AI Ireland Podcast

AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution

Accessible for purchase on Amazon, AI Ireland’s latest book “AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution,” is your must read for 2024. For executives, policy architects or technology aficionados seeking to make sense of the intricate world of AI, “AI Unleashed: Navigating the AI Revolution” is your essential handbook. Available on Amazon Kindle or hard copy, this book furnishes you with the expertise and instruments required to employ AI both effectively and ethically.

Book an AI Presentation with AI Ireland today

Discover tailored presentations designed to meet the unique needs of your industry. Gain invaluable insights into the transformative power of AI technologies, ensuring your organisation stays ahead of the curve. Equip your team and stakeholders with the knowledge they need to confidently embrace the future.

Don’t miss the chance to enlighten your team and explore how innovation is positively impacting your industry. Secure your presentation now!