Third Edition of the National AI Meet announced as Industry, Academia and Policy Experts to convene in Galway

TechIreland has announced that the third edition of the National AI Meet will take place in Galway on 18th September, bringing together senior leaders from industry, academia, and public policy to highlight Ireland's growing role as a leader in AI adoption across business and society.

The event will be officially opened by Minister Niamh Smyth TD, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, with responsibility for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Transformation.

National AI Meet, Galway September 18th

A curated cohort of over 300 businesses (invite-only) from diverse sectors across the island are expected to attend, reflecting the wide-reaching impact of AI on both technology and non-tech industries. The top teams from this year's National AI Challenge will also showcase their solutions at the Meet.

The National AI Meet has received longstanding support from Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, InterTradeIreland, Data2Sustain European Digital Innovation Hubs, and global AI leaders including Google and OpenAI - reinforcing Ireland's unique standing in AI talent, research, and innovation.

This year's programme features top executives from the likes of CeADAR, Údarás na Gaeltachta and Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail), alongside multinationals such as Genesys and Workhuman, and Irish startups like Jentic and Success.co. Expert panels will cover topics ranging from AI Agents and manufacturing automation, to future skills-needs, underscoring the Meet's objective in supporting AI adoption across the Irish workforce.

In last year's event, more than 200 leadership team members participated, 60% were high potential companies and multinationals with significant R&I in Ireland, 17% from the public sector, 8% academics and research community. 45% of attendees were from Dublin, 25% from the host city - Galway and the remainder representing more than 18 counties from Belfast to Cork and Donegal to Waterford.

Inspired by Ireland's refreshed National AI Strategy - AI: Here for Good (2024), and strengthened by the presence of nearly all leading AI multinationals in Ireland, world-class universities offering cutting-edge programmes, and a vibrant indigenous ecosystem of more than 4,000 technology startups, Ireland has a unique opportunity to be a global frontrunner in ethical and human-centric AI adoption.

Organisers and partners look forward to welcoming industry leaders at the National AI Meet in Galway, and working together to place Ireland at the forefront of innovation.

Acknowledgements

TechIreland is grateful to all partners; Enterprise Ireland, Data2Sustain EDIH, InterTradeIreland, Google Cloud, IDA Ireland; supporters OpenAI, Iarnród Éireann and Údarás na Gaeltachta; and co-sponsors ITAG, Bank of Ireland, Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet, and Code Institute for their collaboration and support.

Commentary from Key Stakeholders

Brian Caulfield, TechIreland: ''Over the past three years, TechIreland's National AI Meet has continued to grow, welcoming an ever-larger number of participants. This momentum reflects the increasing interest in and support for artificial intelligence adoption across the island of Ireland. I hope this event will provide further impetus for deeper conversations and stronger collaboration in the years ahead.''

Donnchadh Cullinan, Enterprise Ireland: "Enterprise Ireland is proud to support the National AI Meet, a key initiative that reflects our strategy to accelerate sustainable Irish business. By connecting startups, scale-ups, and global leaders, the Meet fosters innovation, competitiveness, and collaboration - driving AI adoption that helps Irish companies start, scale, and lead globally. It's a powerful platform for accelerating real-world transformation across sectors."

John Durcan, IDA Ireland: ''It is great to see TechIreland going from strength to strength, t...