AI Ireland with Mark Kelly

Today’s guest is Stephen Redmond, Founder and Chief AI Officer at Straitéis AI. Joining us for a third appearance on the AI Ireland podcast, Stephen discusses his continuous contributions to the field of artificial intelligence and its application across industries, as well as what to expect in his latest book, AI: Curious to Capable, Moving from AI Curiosity to Measurable Business Value.Topics include: 0:00 His ambition to set up a company to drive deeper AI adoption 5:11 His new book which guides SMEs on AI strategy, training and adoption10:00 How AI sped up writing, improved clarity, enabled self-publishing and iteration 14:09 Setting up custom AI and agent workflows to improve insights and scalability 15:23 Advice to use AI iteratively, track progress and start with simple use cases 18:26 Refine and personalise AI that generates drafts from your knowledge

Today’s guest is Paul Harney, Director at That’s That Productions. In this episode, we talk about world of AI in film production, where creativity meets cutting-edge technology. Paul discusses the transformative role of AI in video creation and digital advertising, providing a fascinating insight into how advancements in AI are reshaping the industry.Topics include:0:00 His background as a veteran videographer using AI tools for editing and experiments4:32 How AI video tools use tokens, combine media and require human creativity7:58 Making humorous AI spec ads with mascot characters, such as Chicken Fillet Charlie9:45 Receiving majority of negative feedback as critics warned AI lowers standards11:00 How AI in video will rapidly evolve, transforming production and effects12:18 His plans to evolve with AI while continuing traditional work

Today’s guests are Ross Keating and Dermot O'Connor, Co-Founders at Overpath. In this episode, Ross and Dermot discuss how they’re steering the ship at Overpath, a company poised to redefine how sales teams operate. They share insights into their innovative approach to integrating AI into the sales process, along with lessons from their journey and their strategic vision for the future.Topics include:0:00 Combining their sales expertise and technical leadership to found Overpath4:40 Using funding to acquire an experienced AI product team6:15 Building an AI startup focusing on speed, brand and proprietary sales expertise8:15 How their AI sales assistant “Molly” integrates messy, multi-source context intelligently14:51 Aligning their pricing strategy on usage-based, teammate-style AI agent model18:18 How sales reps increasingly use AI to improve performance feedback.20:06 Challenges to differentiate, distribute and humanise AI in crowded market

In this special episode of the AI Ireland podcast, AI Ireland Founder Mark Kelly unveils the latest insights from our comprehensive survey of 130 AI leaders throughout Ireland. In the first couple of months of 2026, the landscape of AI adoption in Irish businesses is becoming increasingly clear. In this podcast, we will cut through the hype to examine the real numbers, uncover what's working, identify what's hindering progress, and provide a roadmap for the next 90 days.Topics include:0:00 Overview the survey to highlight AI adoption trends across Irish businesses1:20 How most Irish firms deploying AI for efficiency3:31 An insight into how integration, skills and security slow AI progress6:10 What the next 90 days look like from ROI, alerts, and cautious AI use7:46 How to close the readiness gap with integration and ROI focus8:53 While AI in Ireland is operational, integration and governance are essentialYou can access the full survey findings at https://aiireland.ie/ai-ireland-2026-the-state-of-ai-in-irish-business-3/

Today’s guest is Malcolm Byrne, TD for the Wicklow/Wexford constituency and Chair of the Oireachtas (Parliament) Committee. It’s crucial for nations to not only keep pace but also lead the charge toward innovation and implementation of transformative technologies like Artificial Intelligence. Ireland is doing just that, with significant strides being made to position the country as a frontrunner in AI usage and regulation. Malcolm joins today’s podcast to shed light on the significant work being undertaken by the Irish government and various sectors to harness the potential of AI, while carefully navigating the associated challenges.Topics include:0:00 How the deepfake revelation sparked his interest in AI4:06 Building cross-party support as AI gained urgency6:40 Public sector AI adoption and EU leadership ambitions9:42 Upskilling regulators and boosting AI public awareness11:30 Building trust through education, skills and observatory plans13:47 The need for urgent AI literacy to protect jobs and competitiveness

Today’s guest is Elizabeth Daly, STSM and Research Manager of the Interactive AI Group at IBM Research. Artificial Intelligence stands as a monumental achievement, reshaping industries and prompting critical discussions about ethical governance. One compelling narrative in this discourse is led by Elizabeth and her AI Award winning team at IBM Research. In today’s podcast, Elizabeth dives into the complexities and nuances of building responsible AI solutions, highlighting projects like the Risk Atlas Nexus.Topics include:0:00 An overview of their flexible, risk-based framework for scalable responsible AI governance4:13 Curating verifiable knowledge beyond single-LLM, rapid model churn5:26 How valuable AI governance research exists but isn’t operational or accessible7:30 Making LLM risk judgments controllable, explainable and trustworthy11:23 Aim to enable fast, trusted AI innovation through built-in responsible design13:50 Advice to start small, reuse guardrails and iterate responsibly over time

Today’s guest is Jac Dunne, Chief Executive Officer at dimply. In a rapidly evolving tech world, Jac and her story with dimply is a testament to adaptation, growth and innovation. Jac's journey is an inspiring blend of traditional financial expertise and cutting-edge technological advancements, which offers a blueprint for understanding the dynamic integration of AI in financial services.Topics include:0:00 How an accidental start became a gritty, wide-ranging finance career3:41 Shaping their leadership style through great leaders and strong family values 5:32 How legacy system challenges pushed a finance professional into regtech innovation8:36 Helping financial firms launch customer experiences faster with dimply10:22 Launching Holi, a regulated, deterministic AI financial experience agent12:26 Why customers love fast, frictionless, on-brand journeys that scale digitally14:45 How Enterprise Ireland has been a strategic, hands-on partner supporting growth16:55 Goals for 2026 from expanding Holi, and entering UK and US markets

Today's guest is Mark Kirwan, CEO & Founder at Positive Carbon. In recent years, the issue of food waste has become increasingly critical, with about one-third of all food produced ending up in the bin. However, AI Awards 2025 winner Positive Carbon is changing that narrative with a mission to significantly reduce food waste in the hospitality industry by leveraging artificial intelligence and innovative technology.Topics include:0:00 How Positive Carbon uses AI to help hospitality cut food waste3:32 His career journey from software engineer to founding Positive Carbon5:05 How Zero-shot AI identifies food waste instantly with no training needed6:05 Utilising Plug-and-play hardware to track kitchen food waste in real time7:14 Using Microsoft Azure and Defender for secure, compliant cloud AI8:29 Securing funding by directly pitching to investors with validated ideas9:57 How Enterprise Ireland provided support, introductions and collaborative guidance10:35 How plug-and-play design ensures high adoption and effective results11:25 Winning Best Application of AI in Sustainability at the 2025 AI Awards12:01 Expanding internationally in 2026, aiming for 10,000 units reducing food waste

Today’s guest is Kate Minogue, Fractional CPO/General Manager and AI Advisor at Kate Minogue Advisory. As technology constantly reshapes our lives, the intersection of AI and human experience is particularly compelling. In this podcast, Kate talks about the transformative power of AI, its varying applications and the insightful experiences from her journey in the field.Topics include:0:00 Judging the AI Awards applications with care, depth and sector diversity3:52 Using AI to genuinely make people’s lives easier through the AI Leadership Lab6:25 Building the course through disciplined execution and constant user feedback10:56 ChatGPT’s shift into a consumer commerce and app platform16:03 How OpenAI’s broad, emergent strategy may converge on app ecosystem19:32 Why consumer AI faces challenges of trust, ease of use and literacy23:23 How to follow Kate and get involved with the Leadership Lab course

Today’s guest is John Clancy, Founder & CEO at Galvia and AI Person of the Year 2025. In the podcast, John discusses the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence in the retail sector and the strategic vision of Galvia as they expand into new markets. The episode covers the evolution of AI in retail, the challenges faced by businesses in adopting new technologies, and the actionable insights gained through AI-driven data analysis.Topics include:0:00 How Galvia are giving mid-sized retailers unified, predictive business insights3:15 Applying AI to unify retail data, predict demand, and optimise inventory and sales7:09 Using customer insights to personalise retail experiences and boost basket size9:31 Targeting underserved mid-sized retailers with practical, data-driven AI expansion in UK11:51 Actively driving AI expansion, focusing on practical value for retailers15:41 Scaling AI as a service for retailers, replacing spreadsheets with real-time insights