AI Ireland with Mark Kelly

Today's guest is Catherine Doyle, General Manager at Microsoft Ireland. Employees are embracing AI faster than their employers can adapt, creating a growing gap between individual productivity and business-wide results. Catherine joins host Mark Kelly on today's show to discuss how organisations can close that gap through stronger leadership, better data, practical training and a clear focus on measurable outcomes.Topics include:

0:00 Ireland’s rise to third in global AI adoption

2:17 Why leaders must catch up with employees using AI

4:38 How AI agents are reshaping careers, work and business

9:09 Closing the AI training gap and scaling adoption responsibly

12:39 Building trusted data without slowing down your AI journey

14:00 Measuring AI’s business impact, return on investment and growth

18:29 Showcasing Irish innovation and impact at AI Awards 2026

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