Hosted by the Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre (AICC) - a partnership between Ulster University and Queen's University - the inaugural AI Castle Conversation was addressed by the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service Jayne Brady MBE, Chief Scientific and Technology Adviser Professor Helen McCarthy, Department for the Economy Permanent Secretary Ian Snowden and Ulster University Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Bartholomew.

The 'deep-dialogue' event sought to lay some groundwork for the formation of a new AI Taskforce under the Executive Office and forthcoming Office of AI and Digital, announced in the recent Northern Ireland Programme for Government.

David Crozier, AICC Director, said:

“The conversations held this week will directly inform strategic priorities and policy developments, not least the creation of a comprehensive AI Action Plan for Northern Ireland.

"The Prime Minister has recently outlined his national vision for AI implementation, stating that no person should spend time on a task where digital or AI can do it better, quicker, and to the same high quality and standard.

"While work is required to address the complex implications of the technology, our ambition for Northern Ireland aligns directly.

“This region is uniquely positioned, with our strong academic institutions, growing technology sector and cross-border collaboration opportunities to harness the transformative potential of AI. By convening senior officials to establish a shared vision and coordinated approach to AI adoption and governance, the AI Castle Conversation will be instrumental in shaping Northern Ireland’s AI journey.”

Sponsored by Accenture, Analytics Engines, AWS, Deloitte, Microsoft and Version 1, the AI Castle Conversation was the first of six ‘Deep Dialogues’ due to take place at the palace.

Aligning with the five key sub-groups of the AI Taskforce, the event examined AI governance, infrastructure, data, skills and public-sector transformation. The full day event was a series of focused discussions covering the following:

· AI Tech: Donnacha Kirk, Deputy Director of AI Technology & Research Services, AICC

· AI Ethics, Governance and Responsibility: Tadhg Hickey, Head of AI & Digital Ethics Policy, AICC

· AI Skills: Michaela Black, Professor of Artificial Intelligence, Ulster University. · Real-world use cases for Public Sector Transformation through AI

· Live interactive roundtable engagement on areas to inform the AI Strategy

· Fireside chat with Thom Kenney, Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University, hosted by journalist and presenter Jim Fitzpatrick

In a modern take on conferencing, a report was developed in real-time and distributed to participants to provide public-sector officials with a summary of recommended actions for the implementation of an AI strategy for Northern Ireland.

The AICC, an Ulster University-led initiative in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast, was established in March 2024 as part of a £16.3 million investment by Invest Northern Ireland and the Department for the Economy. Its mission is to advance awareness and adoption of AI technologies among businesses, specifically SMEs, across Northern Ireland. 

The AICC is based across Ulster University’s Belfast and Derry~Londonderry campuses and Queen’s University Belfast.

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Inquiries to Una Bradley u.bradley@qub.ac.uk