Advertise on podcast: AI Ireland with Mark Kelly

Today’s guest is Carl Kane, Group Data Culture Lead at Bank of Ireland. AI adoption is moving faster than many businesses can keep up with, with employees often taking the lead before company strategies catch up. In this episode, Carl speaks about what it takes to turn individual experimentation into meaningful business results, exploring leadership, data readiness, AI literacy and the role of storytelling in bringing people along.Topics include: 0:00 His journey from euro conversion, evolving into banking data analytics 5:56 Using storytelling to connect people, improve collaboration and drive better outcomes 8:07 How data governance orchestrates collaboration to deliver trusted, high-quality data 10:48 Why becoming data-led requires clean data and improved data fluency 12:39 Why AI adoption requires literacy, governance and responsible use before scaling 16:18 Using AI agents to analyse and compare lengthy industry research papers 17:18 How data enables personalised, flexible customer journeys across digital and human channels 18:29 How mentors helped develop his storytelling, leadership and data interpretation skills

Today's guest is George Filippou, Founder at Mar-Sci. In the episode, George explores how AI and open-source tools can help advertisers manage budgets more effectively. Drawing on his breath of experience in the industry, George discusses the challenges of building trust in AI recommendations, the continued importance of human judgement and his journey from marketer to startup founder.Topics include: 0:00 His career journey from Marketing Practitioner to founding Mar-Sci 5:24 Building an AI Moat in a Rapidly Changing Market 8:12 How AI Agents Could Become the Biggest Customers 9:28 As AI Is Transforming Marketing, Trust Still Matters 14:53 Building Flexible AI Products Without Losing Your Core 17:47 The Possibility of AI Driving Digital Advertising Costs Even Higher Visit https://mar-sci.com/ to discover how MarSci can help your business make smarter marketing decisions.This episode is sponsored by Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet, helping Irish businesses close AI skills gaps through practical, funded training and bespoke programmes for their teams. Learn more at https://ictskillnet.ie/

Today's guest is David Keddy, National Security Officer at Microsoft Ireland. With AI changing both sides of the cybersecurity battle, David joins the AI Ireland podcast to talk about why cybersecurity has become a data problem and what that means for Irish businesses. From protecting critical operations to preparing for AI-powered security agents, David shares practical insights into strengthening defences and making informed decisions about risk, resilience and AI.Topics include: 0:00 His technology and cybersecurity career journey 5:52 Prioritising cyber defenses around what would stop your business 9:32 How AI speeds up cyberattacks and helps defenders hunt threats 15:00 The role of Agentic security operations and continuous monitoring with human oversight 18:28 The need for boards must own cybersecurity in the age of AI 24:55 His advice to identify critical systems, assume breaches and enable MFA

Today’s guest is Cyril Treacy, Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer at Disseqt AI. As AI becomes increasingly embedded in business, questions around trust, transparency and compliance are becoming more important than ever. In the today’s podcast, Cyril discusses the importance of the EU AI Act, AI governance and assurance, and how businesses can build AI systems that are both innovative and trustworthy.Topics include: 0:00 The latest EU AI Act updates, compliance, transparency and preparation 5:22 Why AI risks require transparency, assurance and bias prevention 11:07 How AI assurance provides proof that AI policies work in practice 13:15 Why executives must demand AI testing, compliance and reliability proof 18:03 How his AI startup evolved into AI assurance and testing solutions 21:38 Why AI governance requires continuous training, not one-time compliance 22:28 How AI assurance enables regulated industries to automate safely 25:59 Why balancing AI trust, safety and human skills are essential

Today’s guest is Raluca Saceanu, CEO at Smarttech247. As cybersecurity threats grow in speed, scale and sophistication, organisations must find new ways to protect themselves without slowing innovation. In this podcast, Raluca explores the evolving relationship between AI and cybersecurity, the enduring importance of strong security fundamentals and how businesses can adopt a more proactive, security-by-design approach.Topics include: 0:00 How cyberattacks are now faster, cheaper and increasingly AI-driven 4:31 How defenders have the advantage if they think like attackers 7:21 Ransomware affects small businesses too, especially supply-chain suppliers 9:52 Why security by design is essential for every AI startup 13:46 Cybersecurity fundamentals and human oversight remain essential in AI 15:40 How AI-powered security operations deliver faster, smarter incident response 19:05 Enterprise Ireland’s long-term support for Smarttech's growth 19:39 Why staying ahead requires curiosity, speed and a growth mindset

Today’s guest is Matt Conlon, Founder at Cytidel. As cybersecurity threats are escalating in complexity andfrequency, professionals like Matt are at the forefront of addressing these challenges. In this podcast, Matt shares insights into his journey from consulting to founding Cytidel, a company that aims to revolutionisevulnerability management and exposure management. Topics include: 0:00 His journey from consulting to frontline cybersecurity and incident response 3:28 Why burnout sparked a mission to solve cybersecurity alert overload 7:27 Expanding exposure management beyond businesses to third-party risks 8:46 How AI automation is accelerating attacks before patches even exist 9:56 How their data identifies cyber threats over 200 days earlier 12:58 Fast value, strong ROI and collaborative cybersecurity innovation 15:14 How Enterprise Ireland powered their launch, investment and international growth 15:57 Why cybersecurity shifts towards personalised AI insights while fundamentals remain vital

Today’s guest is Ian Kiely, Leading UAV specialist, Founder of Drone Space Limited and ESA project contributor. He is also joined by Joe, a veteran in national security, maritime navigation and airborne law enforcement. In an ever-evolving digital landscape where drones and AI take centre stage, understanding their impact on airspace, security, and everyday life is crucial. This episode brings to light the sophisticated integration of AI into drone technology and its implications, particularly in Ireland. Topics include: 0:00 Ireland’s drone boom, Manna’s exit and a billion-euro opportunity lost 5:03 How Ireland races to defend against evolving autonomous drone threats 7:19 AI transforms battlefield drones as Ireland hosts EU defence hackathon 11:03 How Drone Space brings industry together for safer, compliant drone operations 12:20 Building a skilled, connected network for safer drone adoption 13:32 Drone innovation accelerates alongside growing security and criminal threats 15:54 Drone technology evolves faster than regulation can keep pace 18:27 AI drone swarms adapt, coordinate and overwhelm traditional defences 20:07 Goal-driven AI drones expose dangerous gaps in Ireland’s defences This episode is sponsored by Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet, helping Irish businesses close AI skills gaps through practical, funded training and bespoke programmes for their teams. Learn more at https://ictskillnet.ie/

Today's guest is Kingsley Kelly, Founder and CTO at Glitch. As AI continues to revolutionise how companies operate, innovate and compete, Kingsley is at the forefront of this change. In this podcast, he shares insights into how Glitch is transforming the advertising landscape and leveraging AI to build a platform that stands resilient amidst the oscillating demands of the modern digital market. Topics include: 0:00 The journey to building a platform simplifying digital advertising 4:47 Building goal-oriented AI agents to simplify marketing automation 6:25 How AI agents face real-world complexity beyond technical capabilities 8:24 How AI supercharges engineers, creating highly productive AI collaborators 11:38 Why AI companies must evolve continuously with advancing AI capabilities 15:15 Building AI knowledge systems through human feedback and continuous learning 17:53 How AI requires embracing uncertainty, complexity and human oversight1 9:43 AI governance, multi-model strategies and strong AI harnesses 24:10 Measuring AI progress through autonomous task length and agent capabilities

Today's guest is Owen Murray, Commercial Director at URhired. URhired is not just another AI tool; it is a lifeline designed purposely for neurodivergent job seekers. With over 85% of the neurodivergent community in the UK and Ireland facing unemployment or underemployment, Owen’s mission through URhired is clear and critical.Topics include: 0:00 His role as an AI interview coach empowering neurodivergent job seekers to succeed 5:42 Encouraging neurodivergent hiring through AI-powered talent solutions 8:31 Helping organisations scale inclusive employment through AI support 11:02 How AI interview coaching is helping neurodivergent candidates navigate hiring 14:02 Using Customer feedback to shape AI solution and validate market demand 16:42 Scaling URhired through product refinement and investment 18:20 How entrepreneurial growth is supported by mentorship, networking and curiosity

Today's guest is Vinodh Kumar Balaraman, Founder & CEO at CyberCheck360. In an era where cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated, email security remains a critical line of defence for organisations worldwide. In today’s episode, Vinodh talks us through the evolving landscape of email security and his company’s innovative solutions to protect against cyber attacks.Topics include: 0:00 How CyberCheck360 protects users from sophisticated AI-powered email attacks 7:42 Using sandboxed browser isolation to safely open email links remotely 8:39 Building a hybrid SaaS platform for secure email link isolation 11:35 Targeting regulated organisations with scalable email security for all sizes 14:33 Continuously evolving their platform using AI to detect phishing 16:50 How email security evolving towards AI-powered threat isolation 19:13 Working with Enterprise Ireland for validation, mentorship and growth support 20:38 Advice for entrepreneurs to start early, validate, adapt and evolve

Today's guest is Guglielmo Iozzia, Director, ML/AI and Applied Mathematics at MSD. In the ever-evolving domain of artificial intelligence, small language models pose a revolutionary alternative to the expansive and resource-intensive large-scale models. In this enlightening podcast episode, Guglielmo shares insights from his new book, "Domain-Specific Small Language Models: Efficient AI for Local Deployment,” as we dive deep into the advantages and challenges of small language models. Topics include: 0:00 Optimising Small Language Models for Real-World Edge Applications 3:39 When Small Models Outperform Large Ones 6:16 Fine-Tuning AI with Domain-Specific Data 7:23 Why AI Benchmarks Don't Tell the Full Story 9:02 Lessons Learned After Writing the Book 10:52 Contextual Intelligence in Agentic AI Systems 12:23 How AI Books Are Written and Reviewed in PracticeLink to buy Guglielmo's latest book: https://www.amazon.com/Domain-Specific-Language-Models-Guglielmo-Iozzia/dp/1633436705

Today’s guest is Kammil Mahajan, Co-Founder and CEO at Sector8. Businesses across the globe are confronted with the need to integrate AI into their operations, whether they explicitly choose to or not. However, the challenge extends beyond just implementation; it's about understanding the actions AI systems can autonomously undertake. Kammil’s company Sector8 is at the forefront of addressing these concerns, as he explores the essence of AI security and how Sector8 is paving the way for future enterprises.Topics include: 0:00 His startup lessons from action to failure and resilience 2:12 How Sector8 secures AI adoption through governance and cybersecurity 4:02 Why Agentic AI expands risks through autonomous actions and access 6:48 How Prompt injection evolves into AI-driven actions and risks 8:33 Securing AI starts with visibility, access control and guardrails 10:13 Sector8’s role in enabling secure AI adoption with real-time controls 13:26 How AI security is shifting towards agentic governance and real-time controls 14:40 Partnering with Enterprise Ireland to scale globally 16:12 How entrepreneurship requires resilience, discipline and staying focused

Today’s guest is Elena Donea, CEO at WhatsExposed. With AI changing cybersecurity faster than ever before, Elena joins us on today’s podcast to explore how organisations can stay ahead of an evolving threat landscape. From why getting the cybersecurity basics right still matters, to how AI is reshaping offensive and defensive security, Elena shares practical insights drawn from years of experience helping businesses identify and reduce cyber risk. Topics include: 0:00 Building WhatsExposed to deliver expert offensive cybersecurity services 1:52 Bootstrapped growth before securing angel investment and early customers 3:14 Continuous offensive security over one-off compliance-driven testing 5:48 How AI accelerates cyber threats, making strong security fundamentals essential 9:29 How AI helps detect threats faster by cutting through security noise 10:24 Helping companies identify exposure and prioritise continuous security improvements 12:56 How Enterprise Ireland helped accelerate their growth 13:58 Plans to scale internationally as AI reshapes offensive cybersecurity and defense

Today's guest is James Flynn, Co-Founder and CEO at coso.ai. Social media has become a cornerstone for businesses aiming to enhance their reach and engagement with target audiences. However, navigating the ever-changing landscape of social media marketing can be a cumbersome task for many businesses. Enter Coso AI, an innovative Irish startup that aims to transform how small businesses approach social media automation through the power of artificial intelligence.Topics include: 0:00 His journey as an AI founder pivoting from failed models to LLM-powered success 4:20 Tailoring social media content using business data and brand insights at Coso.ai 5:05 How Coso.ai combines AI, content strategy, data and design into one platform 9:40 Automating onboarding by analysing existing business data and content 11:25 Driving measurable growth while building AI and partnership moats 15:55 Combining multiple AI models to create flexible content workflows 18:32 Preparing for funding with partnerships, growth and market pull

Today’s guest is Brian Kelleher, Founder at MicroDoc. From automating time-consuming documentation to enhancing clinical decision-making, AI has the potential to transform healthcare efficiency while addressing some of the sector’s biggest challenges. In today’s episode, Brian discusses the role of AI in modern healthcare, how solutions like MicroDoc are improving clinical workflows, and what it takes to successfully adopt AI in a highly regulated industry. Topics include: 0:00 Building AI-powered clinical workflows that streamline medical documentation 2:54 How personalised AI dictation reduces document editing time 4:17 How AI learns from corrections to improve accuracy 5:27 Seeing doctors save hours daily through AI documentation 6:19 Driving AI adoption through intuitive clinical workflows 8:30 Building trust through security, compliance and governance 9:59 Embedding AI across the entire clinic workflow 12:11 Pricing AI based on high-value clinical time savings, not compute cost 13:29 Specialised AI agents for clinical tasks with human-in-the-loop oversight