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New research led by Trinity College Dublin's AI Accountability Lab pinpoints the growing threat posed by the influence AI companies have over the rule of law, and people's lives, as well as outlining how society can stem the tide. The international team behind the work, which comprised researchers based in Ireland, the United States, Scotland and The Netherlands, mapped the growing and outsized influence that the "Big AI" industry exerts on the capture and control of the narrative, and of the regulatory measures related to AI and its ever-growing use in society. Growing risks of Big AI's control of narrative and regulation After taking a deep dive into literature and media reports, the multi-disciplinary team identified 27 established patterns of "corporate capture", a process by which regulation and public bodies come to act in the interest of corporations rather than people. Applying their classification to a dataset of 100 articles, specifically published around four critical events between 2023 and 2025 (the EU AI Act trilogues and the global AI summits in the UK, South Korea and France), they found 249 cases fitting capture patterns. Of these instances, the most prevalent relate to: 1) Narrative capture, dominated by narratives such as "regulation stifles innovation" and "red tape" whereby regulation is portrayed as unnecessary, excessive, or obsolete; and 2) Elusion of law, pertaining to violations and contentious interpretations of antitrust, privacy, copyright and labour laws. How does Big AI exert such influence? Growing evidence, outlined in the research, suggests that Big AI has undermined and resisted regulation, oversight and enforcement in a variety of ways, such as lobbying; retaliated against whistleblowers, researchers and law-makers; and benefited in some cases from a "revolving door" model where former policymakers go on to advise or take employment with major AI companies. There are also many examples of Big AI making significant donations to political parties, public officials owning equity in regulated companies, while some governments and political leaders have also set the stage to undermine existing rules. For example, after previously calling for "simplification", in October 2025 EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen explicitly advocated for deregulation. Dr Abeba Birhane, Director of Trinity's AI Accountability Lab, based in the ADAPT Research Ireland Centre and Trinity's School of Computer Science and Statistics, led the new research. She said: "In addition to 'narrative capture' and the violations and contentious interpretations of antitrust, privacy, copyright and labour laws that were most recurrent, we also found that Big AI frequently uses the notion that 'regulation stifles innovation' and that 'red tape can stymy national interest' to rationalise their control of the overall narrative." Zeerak Talat, one of the co-authors from the University of Edinburgh, added: "The regulatory and oversight structures and processes that govern the industry deeply impact everything from fostering public trust in systems marketed as AI to the credibility of scientific knowledge, and from educational and healthcare services to information ecosystems, the environment, rule of law and even the integrity of democratic processes." What is the potential impact of this research? Over the past decade, the AI industry has come to exert an unprecedented economic, political and societal power and influence. And that continues to grow. This work: 1) provides a new framework for understanding and identifying the many different ways in which Big AI controls the narrative and influences associated regulatory measures; and 2) categorises the most prevalent mechanisms in which the industry does that. Riccardo Angius, PhD Researcher in the AIAL at Trinity, added: "This work provides policymakers and other researchers with rigorous context to comprehend the extent and depth of the pervasive and multifaceted capture of ...

Applied Biopharm Consulting Ltd has announced a new research collaboration with the Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre (PMBRC) at the South East Technological University (SETU) in Waterford, Ireland, to experimentally validate aspects of its artificial intelligence (AI)-driven biomolecular research programme. The collaboration is supported through the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Voucher scheme, enabling the company to access specialised laboratory expertise within the university. With strong research activity across pharmaceutical science, biotechnology and applied life sciences and supported by the Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateway programme PMBRC has developed extensive capabilities in industry-focused research and collaboration with emerging technology companies. Through this collaboration, cell-based studies will be undertaken at SETU to generate experimental data supporting the continued development of Applied Biopharm Consulting's computational viral vector engineering platform. These studies will provide experimental validation to complement the company's computational research activities. Building on its 2024 feasibility study grant and the subsequent Intellectual Property (IP) Start Grant awarded in 2026 under Enterprise Ireland's IP Strategy initiative, Applied Biopharm Consulting continues to expand its internal research and development programme focused on next-generation viral vector engineering. The Innovation Voucher collaboration represents the next step in translating computational research into experimentally validated technologies while supporting the company's ongoing intellectual property strategy. Applied Biopharm Consulting's research programme integrates artificial intelligence, structural bioinformatics and molecular simulation techniques to analyse large datasets of protein structures and explore novel biomolecular interactions. These computational approaches are being applied to explore new strategies for viral vector design relevant to advanced biologics and gene therapy development. Dr. Anthony Newcombe, Managing Director of Applied Biopharm Consulting Ltd, commented: "Establishing a research collaboration with South East Technological University represents an important step in advancing our viral vector engineering programme from computational design toward experimental validation. The Innovation Voucher scheme enables us to access specialised academic expertise and laboratory capabilities that complement our computational research platform." Dr Niall O'Reilly, Centre Director of the PMBRC added: "We are pleased to collaborate with Applied Biopharm Consulting on this research initiative. Partnerships between academia and industry provide valuable opportunities to translate innovative ideas into experimentally validated technologies, and this project highlights how academic research capabilities can support emerging biotechnology innovation. This collaboration also fits well into our current research portfolio in areas such as gene therapy and biomedical science" The collaboration represents the next stage in Applied Biopharm Consulting's internal research and development (R&D) programme, which combines computational biologics research with experimental validation and intellectual property development. Alongside its research activities, Applied Biopharm Consulting continues to support global biopharmaceutical companies in GMP compliance, Regulatory CMC, Manufacturing Science & Technology (MSAT), Quality Assurance and technology transfer. By integrating extensive regulatory and manufacturing expertise with next-generation biologics engineering capabilities, the company is positioning itself at the intersection of advanced therapy development and biologics innovation. See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episod...

Xtremepush, the category leader in igaming CRM and loyalty marketing, has announced the launch of XpertOS, a seamlessly integrated and fully-live AI platform that has the potential to totally upend the industry and change how CRM teams operate in future. Just as the internet search industry saw a seismic shift when ChatGPT arrived, the arrival of XpertOS heralds a similar transformation for CRM and how marketing professionals will work in regulated markets, including financial services, insurance, as well as igaming. Xtremepush customers will be instantly able to take a leap forward and exponentially increase their CRM output, moving from ineffective bolt-ons to an integrated, bespoke AI-powered solution featuring relevant content and brand tools. Personalisation at scale will be at their fingertips, layered with the assurance that comes with governance built into the architecture by long-time experts in their field. XpertOS' compliance-first architecture is a three-tiered product solution – adaptable for operational readiness – including, the 'Xpert Assistant', which will be familiar to those with AI chat experience and acts as an entry point for managers looking for ideation and broader strategy planning. 'Xpert Flows', sits above, integrating with key workflow tools such as Jira and Slack, and operationalises the CRM system with human-in-the-loop governance and transparent campaign execution. 'Xpert Crews' offer the most sophisticated assistance to CRM teams, with brief or goal-driven simulated agent teams acting autonomously with specific roles across functions from compliance to copywriting. These trusted 'teams' produce draft campaigns and iterate in real-time, utilising Xtremepush's unique, unified data architecture, ensuring optimal outcomes that CRM managers can monitor, unpick logic, and steer. Together, these allow human teams to execute their strategic visions and focus on core objectives of lifetime value uplift, churn reduction, and reduced cost per conversion, while delivering more without losing execution quality. From now on, creativity is the only ceiling, not a business's capacity. The tiered adoption path is specific to Xtremepush. It enables customers to find effective solutions that work best with existing tech stacks, optimises headcount output and resource, guarantees relevance, for example by carrying out detailed research into the latest news and odds via custom feeds and thereby fosters greater focus on high-level strategy goals. Unique to XpertOS, and a key guardrail for CRM teams, is the fact that compliance is enforced by the platform's engine, not by the AI, ensuring intelligence and governance operate in separate architectural layers. "This is the end of today's CRM as we know it," said Tommy Kearns, CEO and co-founder at Xtremepush. "XpertOS is the sector's first, fully functioning agentic operating system and marks a shift as fundamental as any we've seen in the space for a couple of decades. "Thanks to the governance layer built into its core, we firmly believe this will replace the traditional, step-by-step, and manual platforms currently used in martech with existing teams doing the judgement, while the AI does the work. What will be ubiquitous as a work process in 18 months is here now. "XpertOS automation replaces the slowly evolving campaign execution of old, elevating CRM executives into strategic architects, backed by a hard-coded governance and compliance layer that empowers the human-in-the-loop and supercharges personalisation, as well as engagement and retention metrics." Built with a visual 'Control Room' which demonstrates approval gates and interaction logging, XpertOS is primed for usage in heavily regulated industries, where compliance and transparency are key. XpertOS Takeaways: Find: Locates commercially valuable players that CRM teams currently don't have the tools to reach. Govern: Checks every campaign for compliance before they go live. Scale: Lets CRM teams run 10x m...

Dublin City Council has today launched the results of a new report examining ways to unlock investment for housing through adaptive re-use. The report responds to a central policy challenge: how to finance urgently needed housing while meeting statutory climate targets, in a context where the built environment is a major source of emissions and existing delivery models are not achieving outcomes at the required scale or pace. Adaptive re-use for housing FACE Dublin was delivered by the Centre for Public Impact (CPI) and the TransCap Initiative through a strategic research partnership commissioned by Dublin City Council and supported by the Dublin Metropolitan Climate Action Regional Office (CARO). FACE Dublin builds on work undertaken by the council over the last few years to embed circular economy and whole life carbon principles into our work. A key challenge we face as local government is investment to meet our ambition. FACE Dublin has interrogated the system that shapes the capacity of local government to deliver on housing and climate targets in a manner that is just and efficient. The recommendations emerging from FACE Dublin to enable acceleration are: Near term: Establish clear ownership for delivery and secure more flexible public funding Medium term: Work with national government to unlock scale and crowd in private and philanthropic capital Longer term: Explore new financing mechanisms to transform how adaptive reuse is funded Our built environment tells the story of the city, and we are part of its living history. Investment in regeneration is an investment in the social and cultural life of our city. The Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam said, "Addressing dereliction through regeneration is one of the most important priorities for Dublin City Council. If we are serious about meeting our housing and climate ambitions, we must unlock the potential of vacant and underused buildings across our city. FACE Dublin is a timely and welcome initiative because Dubliners want their city to be vibrant, lived in, cared for and full of possibility. My mayoral theme is Celebrating Dublin, and part of that means celebrating the buildings, streets and neighbourhoods that tell the story of who we are. We are proud of Dublin. We are proud of its past, ambitious for its present and determined about its future. By working together, we can breathe new life into buildings that hold the memories of previous generations and transform them into places of opportunity for generations yet to come." Richard Shakespeare, Chief Executive, Dublin City Council said, "The recommendations that have emerged from FACE Dublin, offer a credible route for local government in Ireland to lead on circular, low?carbon urban regeneration – demonstrating how housing delivery, climate action and place?making can reinforce one another when approached systemically." Dennis Keeley, Assistant Chief Executive, Dublin City Council said, "FACE Dublin brings a fresh and necessary perspective to rethinking how we address the dual housing and climate challenges we face as a city and a country. Applying systems innovation and systemic finance lens to understand how policies, planning, funding flows, organisational structures and incentives interact – and how they can be reshaped to unlock progress and catalyse implementation, FACE Dublin has provided a clear practical and phased approach to help make Dublin a leader in tackling vacancy and dereliction, maximising return on public and private investment to enhance Dublin's resilience as a liveable city." Gabrielle Beran, Programme Director, Centre for Public Impact said, "FACE Dublin demonstrates what is possible when a city tackles complex challenges with fresh thinking and genuine collaboration. Through engagement with more than 90 stakeholders, this work has shown the strength of Dublin's commitment to delivering housing while meeting climate goals. At the Centre for Public Impact, we work with governments around the w...

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Interview with Xin Yan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Sign, a sovereign-grade digital infrastructure for national systems of money, identity, and capital. By Selva Ozelli Esq., CPA, Author of "Sustainably Investing in Digital Assets Globally" Xin Yan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Sign, a sovereign-grade digital infrastructure for national systems of money, identity, and capital. Under his leadership, Sign has raised a total of $55 million. Other major backers include YZi Labs, IDG Capital, Sequoia and Circle. Trends to watch with Xin Yan An electrical engineer by profession, before co founding Sign in 2021, Xin served as an investor at Huobi Group. What started as an e-signature tool (EthSign) Sign has expanded into Sign Protocol, an omni-chain attestation protocol, and TokenTable, a platform for managing and distributing tokenized assets that bridge the gap between traditional legal agreements and blockchain technology. Yan advocates digital identity and sovereign technology, arguing that the next stage of blockchain adoption will be driven by real-world utility and revenue rather than just speculation. He often refers to the community and movement surrounding the protocol as the "Orange Dynasty". Xin's work currently centers on digital sovereignty, onchain verification, and building infrastructure for nation-states, including digital IDs and Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). Yan is actively working with governments (e.g., in the UAE and Sierra Leone) to implement blockchain-enabled national infrastructure. Tell us about your educational and professional journey leading up to co-founding Sign. I was an electronic engineer by training, secured over 10 patents at school before dive-dropping into crypto by building my own mining rigs. That hands-on experience led me to a leading VC, where I spent three years as an investment manager and engineer backing cornerstone projects like Polkadot and Avalanche. In 2021, I combined that technical grit with my VC insights to co-found Sign. Tell us about Sign Sign builds secure infrastructure for digital money, identity, and capital. Sign has five years of production deployments and has reached a valuation of $1.3billion. Its systems support governments and regulated institutions in delivering secure, large-scale digital transformation, reaching more than 50 million people in production. Sign works with countries like UAE, Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, Singapore, Barbados and Sierra Leone. Most recently, Sign partnered with the Blockchain Center Abu Dhabi and has raised over $55M across three funding rounds. Your work at Sign currently centers on digital sovereignty, on-chain verification, and building infrastructure for nation-states, including digital IDs and Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). Which countries are you actively working with? Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, Singapore, Barbados and Sierra Leone The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a leading global cryptocurrency hub, currently ranked third globally in crypto adoption behind only Singapore and Hong Kong. Its status is defined by a "pro-innovation" regulatory environment, zero personal income tax on crypto gains, and the presence of over 1,800 crypto companies as of early 2026. The UAE's central bank digital currency (CBDC) project, known as the Digital Dirham, has transitioned from an experimental pilot to a formal legal reality as of early 2026 with the Digital Dirham officially recognized as legal tender under Federal Decree-Law No. 6 of 2025. Managed by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), this initiative is a core pillar of the nation's multi-year Financial Infrastructure Transformation (FIT) program. How is Sign involved with UAE's CBCD project? Sign and ADBC recently partnered to accelerate sovereign blockchain infrastructure in Abu Dhabi. In 2026, the tokenization of the world financial market is rapidly advancing through stablecoins and Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), which function as programmable, on-chain cash for ...

Leading hiring platform IrishJobs has today published new data from its Hiring Trends Update, revealing that nearly half (46%) of employers plan on increase hiring in the second half of 2026, as confidence remains steady despite a backdrop of economic uncertainty. While the hiring landscape is broadly positive, there are signs that employers are moving to a more targeted model of talent acquisition. 83% of recruiters say that hiring is now more strategic and focused on specific roles. The IrishJobs Hiring Trends Update is a biannual research report on the state of the recruitment market in Ireland. The research gathered insights from over 500 employers and nearly 1,000 professionals in Ireland on the evolving hiring landscape and shifting attitudes and actions across the market. Hiring landscape The research findings show that the Irish jobs market remains largely resilient, despite elevated economic and geopolitical volatility. 46% of employers plan on increasing hiring over the coming months. This positive hiring sentiment is highest among large organisations, with 54% expecting to increase hiring in Q2 and Q3 this year. In contrast, only 35% of small businesses plan on increasing hiring levels, reflecting a more cautious outlook on future growth. Confidence is highest in the manufacturing sector. More than 2 in 3 (69%) of manufacturing firms plan on increasing hiring in the coming months. Nearly 4 in 10 (39%) of employers increased recruitment levels in the first half of the year, a 6% rise on Q2 and Q3 of 2025. The findings reveal signs of correlation between company size and confidence, with 44% of large firms increasing hiring levels compared to 33% of small organisations. Despite some recent high-profile headcount reductions by large tech multinationals, 56% of employers in the IT and telecoms sector increased hiring over the last six months. Employers in the professional services (51%), construction (48%) and manufacturing (42%) sectors also indicated they intend to increase hiring in H2. Strategic hiring While the overall hiring landscape is encouraging, indicators signal that employers are recalibrating recruitment strategies. More than 4 in 5 (83%) recruiters say that hiring has become more strategic and focused on specific roles. Against a backdrop of rising labour costs and increased AI adoption, 47% of employers have reduced the number of entry and graduate level roles available in their organisation. 2 in 3 (66%) employers say that the skills needs in their industry are rapidly evolving. Specialist roles are increasingly where hiring budgets are focused. More than 1 in 4 (28%) firms in Ireland are hiring for highly specialised roles in AI and machine learning. Technical skills are highly in demand across a range of industries, with 22% of employers looking for skilled cybersecurity talent and 23% seeking technology and engineering talent. 24% of employers are hiring talent with skills in sales and business development. Pace of hiring The competitive labour market dynamic continues to have an impact on employers looking to secure high-calibre talent. The median time for successful hiring is 8 weeks, as employers continue to face challenges in managing a growing volume of job applications. 78% of recruiters say they are learning to use AI tools and automation to reduce administrative burdens and streamline the hiring process. Previous research carried out by IrishJobs in 2024 revealed that 28% of recruiters were using AI tools, providing a further indication that engagement with AI and automation in recruitment is continuing to rise. Commenting on the findings, Julius Probst, Labour Economist for the Stepstone Group Ireland, said: "Despite a major energy shock and elevated geopolitical uncertainty, economic indicators show that the Irish economy is navigating these challenges well and continues to experience domestic growth. The Spring Economic Forecast recently published by the Government sets out a number of ...

Image details : Start-ups around the country supported by Irish BICs (Business Innovation Centres) received €34 million in funding in 2025. The findings of the annual report have been published ahead of the Dublin Tech Summit where the Irish BICs will showcase and lead the first ever Accelerate Hub. Pictured are Larry O'Donoghue, AxisBIC; Mary Ryan, WestBIC; Fionnuala Wall, AxisBIC; Rosemary Ward, Propelor BIC; Majella Murphy, Furthr; Martin Murray, Furthr and John Brennan, WestBIC. Photo: John Allen Start-ups around the country supported by Irish BICs (Business Innovation Centres) received €34 million in funding in 2025. This consisted of €26.5 million in Innovative High Potential Start-Up (iHPSU) funding and €7.5 million in Pre-Seed Start Fund (PSSF) funding. Start-ups received €35 million in funding in 2025 The Irish BICs Annual Report for 2025 also shows that the group supported 110 start-ups in their applications for iHPSU and PSSF funding last year. With over 35 years of experience, the Irish BICs have supported thousands of founders in accessing funding, developing strategy, and scaling internationally and is made up of four regional organisations including AxisBIC, Furthr, Propelor BIC and WestBIC. Some of the companies supported by the group in 2025 include Valentia Island Vermouth, Reso Health, ALPACA, and Silicate. The annual report findings have been released ahead of this year's Dublin Tech Summit, where the Irish BICs will showcase and lead the first ever Accelerate Hub. This will serve as a dedicated on-site space, connecting entrepreneurs with a network of advisors, mentors, and service providers. The initiative aims to provide practical, hands-on support across key areas of business growth, including funding, validation and scaling. Alongside the hub, the Accelerate Stage, powered by the Irish BICs will feature a specially crafted programme of content covering the most pressing topics for founders in 2026. Sessions will explore areas such as raising funding, scaling sustainably, navigating competitive markets, and leveraging ecosystem support to accelerate growth. Dublin Tech Summit 2026 takes place in the RDS in Dublin on Wednesday 27th and Thursday, 28th of May. To further support early-stage companies, Dublin Tech Summit has also introduced a dedicated startup ticket offering of €145 ex. VAT (RRP €445). Speakers will include: Mark Little, Tech Entrepreneur, Former Foreign Affairs Broadcaster and Journalist Barry Downes, Managing Partner, Sure Valley Ventures (SVV) Rena Maycock, Founder, Chirp Faye Walsh Drouillard, Founder and General Partner, WakeUp Capital Liam Dunne, CEO and Co-Founder of Klearcom Chair of the Irish BICS, Martin Murray CEO of Furthr, said: "For the Founders of highly-innovative start-up and scale-up enterprises, the pace of change has never been so fast, and the level of disruption has never been so great. Technological, geopolitical, financial and social change are impacting every aspect of what you do. In this environment, even successful serial entrepreneurs require guidance, mentoring and support. The Irish BICs have been providing that support for almost 40 years. If you're a Founder with big ambitions, come and talk to us at the Accelerate Hub. We work pro bono, so the only thing we are focused on is your success." The four Irish BICs are: AxisBIC – Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick Furthr – Cavan, Dublin, Kildare, Louth, Meath, Monaghan and Wicklow Propelor BIC – Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford WestBIC – Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo and Westmeath Start-ups supported by Irish BICs received €34 million in funding in 2025. The figure has been released ahead of the Dublin Tech Summit where Irish BICs will showcase and lead the first ever Accelerate Hub. See more breaking stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can ...

A large-scale analysis of Grokipedia, the world's first AI-written encyclopedia, has found that while many Grokipedia articles closely resemble their Wikipedia counterparts, a substantial subset diverged markedly in style, sourcing, and political leaning. Conducted by researchers at Trinity College Dublin and Technological University Dublin, the study compared nearly 18,000 of the most-edited English-language Wikipedia pages with articles on the same topic on the new Grokipedia platform. The study is the largest academic analysis of Grokipedia since it was launched by Elon Musk last October with a promise that the AI-written encyclopedia systematically "fixes" left-leaning biases alleged to exist in the widely used online encyclopedia Wikipedia. Wikipedia's content is written and maintained by volunteer editors, while Grokipedia is an AI-generated encyclopedia using the xAI's Grok large language model. What did the study find? Using computational text analysis and machine learning methods, the team analysed articles on the same topic across Wikipedia and Grokipedia. Selection of topics was based on Wikipedia's most-edited English-language pages. The team compared differences in writing style, structure, and the political orientation of external sources referenced in the paired articles. The researchers found a profound split – while many Grokipedia articles closely mirror Wikipedia, a substantial proportion (66%) of the 18,000 analysed are more extensively rewritten – they are longer, more complex, and rely on fewer references. As a whole, articles on Grokipedia show similar political leaning to those on Wikipedia, drawing on left-leaning news sources. However, when it comes to the politically and culturally sensitive topics of religion, history, literature and art, Grokipedia shows a consistent shift toward referencing more right-leaning news sources compared to Wikipedia. The study analysed Wikipedia's most-edited English-language pages, a selection that likely overrepresents high-profile and contentious topics. That said the study, according to the authors, provides useful evidence of emerging differences between AI-generated and human-edited encyclopedic knowledge systems. Details of the research, conducted at the joint Centre for Sociology of Humans and Machines (SOHAM) in Trinity and TU Dublin, have been published in the peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). What is the impact of this research? Lead author of the study, Saeedeh Mohammadi, PhD candidate at SOHAM and Research Ireland's Centre for Research Training in Foundations of Data Science said: "Online encyclopedias are central to public knowledge. They are also being used to train future generations of large language models. Our findings raise important questions about how public knowledge is produce, reproduced, verified, and governed. "Unlike Wikipedia, where biases are visible and contested through human editing, AI-generated systems operate largely opaquely. This means shifts in perspective or sourcing may occur without clear accountability or editorial oversight. Simply put AI generation does not remove bias – it changes how and where bias enters the system, often making it less visible." Professor Taha Yasseri Director of SOHAM and Principal Investigator of the study said: "Rather than systematically 'correcting' Wikipedia's alleged biases, as claimed when first launched, our findings suggest that AI-generated encyclopedias such as Grokipedia selectively reshape existing knowledge. This creates a patchwork system in which some content is copied, while other content is reinterpreted in ways that are less transparent and harder to scrutinise." "There is a dire need for transparency, oversight, and regulation in this space. Our information landscape is changing rapidly. We have already seen how the lack of editorial responsibility on social media platforms has enabled the generation and circulation of misinformation and ...

Ireland's growing reputation as a global leader in digital healthtech innovation was highlighted at a major industry event which took place at Trinity Business School. Scaling Digital Healthtech in Ireland, hosted by the four Irish European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH),in collaboration with Enterprise Europe Network and Ibec, saw over 400 stakeholders from across the health and life sciences sector come together to hear from leading experts across government, industry and academia, alongside panel discussions and case studies showcasing real-world innovation and impact. Digital Healthtech represents the combination of smart connected devices and AI-powered digital health tools which are transforming the delivery of healthcare and creating opportunities for new disruptive products and services by Irish companies. The event marks the first in a series of national engagements designed to support Irish SMEs and public sector organisations in accelerating the development and adoption of digitisation and to increase the awareness of supports which are already available. Ireland has established itself as a hub for cutting-edge healthtech innovation, supported by a thriving ecosystem of technology companies, researchers and policymakers. The event explored both the opportunities and challenges associated with scaling digital healthtech solutions, including artificial intelligence integration, regulatory compliance, cyber resilience, and access to funding and European markets. Speaking at the event, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation Niamh Smyth TD underlined the Government's commitment to advancing Ireland's digital health ecosystem. "Today highlights the strength of Ireland's digital transformation and its growing, innovative healthtech ecosystem. The Government recognises the importance of maintaining and building on this momentum. At the end of 2025, €23 million was announced through my Department and the Digital Europe Programme to extend the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) Programme to 2029. This investment will enable our hubs to significantly accelerate digitalisation among SMEs and public sector organisations, delivering over 3,000 engagements, 1,100 "Test Before Invest" projects, and more than 200 training courses nationwide. "As work progresses on the National Life Sciences Strategy, Ireland is well positioned to lead the future development of this sector. Bringing together industry, innovation, and expertise is essential to achieving our shared ambition: supporting Irish companies to scale globally while delivering meaningful benefits for patients and healthcare systems. "These efforts are reinforced by a wide range of supports designed to help SMEs grow and internationalise their digital health solutions. These include Enterprise Ireland, the National Enterprise Hub, Local Enterprise Offices, Ibec, Health Innovation Hub Ireland, the European Enterprise Network, and the network of European Digital Innovation Hubs operating across Ireland." Joe Healy, Head of Research and Innovation at Enterprise Ireland said: "Through the European Digital Innovation Hubs, we are supporting Irish enterprises of all sizes and stages to harness advanced technologies, build capability, and compete internationally. This event demonstrates the importance of connecting the network to drive uptake of the supports on offer and strengthening collaboration across industry, government and academia." Ciara Finlay, Ibec Senior Executive said, "Demographic shifts accompanied by the rise of chronic diseases, coupled with the recent impact of the greatest global health emergency in over a century have highlighted the importance of fostering better health system resilience across the world. Digital Health is a solution that can unlock some of the challenges ahead. The digital health segment is estimated to grow at over 17.4% between 2021 and 2027 to €426 billion. "The Medtech, digital health...

CyberSmart, a leading provider of cyber risk management for small businesses, has released findings from its third annual MSP Survey, revealing that economic pressures are pushing cybersecurity down the priority list for many Irish SMEs, even as cyber threats and supply chain risks continue to grow. The CyberSmart MSP Survey 2026 found that 42% of MSP customers are more concerned about operational challenges such as rising costs and inflation than cybersecurity risks, despite an increasingly hostile threat landscape. At the same time, AI-driven threats were named the top cybersecurity concern for MSPs (49%). The 2026 research, conducted by OnePoll, features insights from 100 MSP leaders across Ireland, spanning a range of industries and supporting customers with between 1 and 250+ employees. MSPs Remain Prime Targets for Cybercriminals Over three quarters (77%) of MSPs admitted to suffering at least one cyber breach in the last 12 months, with 59% reporting two or more breaches and 40% experiencing three or more incidents. The findings demonstrate that repeat attacks remain commonplace and that MSPs continue to represent valuable targets for cybercriminals due to their privileged access to customer systems and data. MSPs ranked AI-related threats as the biggest risk facing their organisation (49%), followed by inflation and spiralling costs (43%) and then ransomware/malware infections (40%). Operational concerns such as inflation have climbed sharply up the list of threats facing MSPs over the past year. This reflects the wider economic uncertainty affecting businesses across Ireland. Supply chain risk has also increased in prominence, with over half (52%) of MSPs and their customers reporting that they had experienced a cyber incident caused by or originating from a supplier or third-party vendor in the past year. Of those supply chain incidents: 48% affected only the customer 13% affected only the MSP 33% affected both the MSP and the customer This means that 46% of incidents involved the MSP directly in some way, underlining the critical role MSPs now play within increasingly interconnected supply chains. Economic Pressures Overtaking Cyber Concerns The research found that half of MSPs believe that their customers are now more vulnerable to cyber threats than they were 12 months ago. This is significantly less than their British counterparts, where 62% believe their customers are at greater risk. However, when asked about the biggest risks facing customers, MSPs said inflation and rising operational costs were viewed as a greater concern than ransomware, unpatched vulnerabilities or emerging threats. According to MSP respondents: 42% cited inflation and spiralling costs as customers' top concern 41% cited ransomware or malware infections 32% cited exploitation of unpatched or undisclosed vulnerabilities 30% cited emerging AI threats The findings suggest that many SMEs are focusing on immediate financial pressures and operational resilience ahead of cyber preparedness, despite the growing sophistication and frequency of attacks. Despite this, MSPs reported that the vast majority (92%) of their customers demonstrate average or above-average levels of cybersecurity awareness. For British MSPs, this awareness sat lower at 85%. Compliance and Continuous Monitoring Becoming Business Priorities Customer expectations of MSPs are also evolving, with 57% of customers now expecting support with cybersecurity compliance requirements in addition to traditional IT and security services. In response, 62% of MSP leaders say that they've increased spending when it comes to specialist regulatory and compliance support over the past year. However, the research also revealed significant gaps in supply chain oversight. Two thirds (66%) of MSPs do not continuously monitor supply chain risk, while 45% assess supplier risk only quarterly and 13% only annually. The percentage of those who do not continuously monitor is significantly higher than ...

Expleo, the global technology and consulting service provider, has announced the results of its AI Pulse sentiment tracker for Ireland. The survey shows that business leaders in Ireland are far more likely than those in the UK, Germany and France to value empathy as a fundamental skill for managers in the age of AI. Meanwhile, the sentiment score for April remains unchanged from March, at 65 out of 100 for confidence in AI. Despite ongoing concerns around the impact AI will have on the global jobs market, April's AI pulse shows that business leaders in Ireland believe that the most important skill for managers of the future, in the context of increased AI adoption, will be human-centred, empathetic coaching and people leadership. This is significantly higher than the importance business leaders in the UK (21%), France (15%) and Germany (18%) give it. The most-valued skill, on average, across the markets surveyed is the ability to integrate AI into workflows and drive change (25%), while business leaders in Ireland are less convinced, at 19%. The drive to keep humans in the picture may explain why 45% of business leaders are worried about how AI is transforming their organisation, up from 43% the previous month. This concern is felt to a lesser extent in other markets: 34% in France and Germany and 41% in the UK. Commenting on this month's results, Phil Codd, Managing Director – Ireland, Expleo, said: "The high proportion of business leaders valuing human-centred leadership actually shows a great level of AI maturity. Business leaders here understand that it is people who transform organisations, not AI. "The organisations that will get the most from AI are not the ones racing to implement it fastest, but the ones investing in the human side. Ireland's focus on empathy as a core management skill isn't a reluctance to embrace AI, it's an advanced understanding of what successful adoption actually requires." See more stories here.

Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) has announced the €6.9 million REWIRE project, a new pan-European initiative designed to help scale high-quality remanufacturing through robotics, AI, digital twins and traceability tools for European industry. The project is being advanced under Horizon Europe, the European Union's research and innovation programme, and is aligned with the topic on integrated approaches for remanufacturing, which aims to strengthen Europe's circular and digitised industrial value chains and support skills, standards and industrial uptake. The project will focus on enabling scalable, efficient remanufacturing processes in sectors including heavy machinery, automotive and electronics, areas where complexity, variability and cost have traditionally limited innovation processes adoption. The project will bring together 3 RTOs, 4 RPO, 1 NGO and 5 industrial partners from 8 European countries to address key barriers such as poor traceability, fragmented digital systems, limited autonomous and adaptable robotics, weak decision-support tools and skills shortages. These factors hinder industrial adoption and scale-up, thereby supporting more resilient manufacturing, improved resource efficiency and stronger circular value chains in Europe. Barry Kennedy, CEO of IMR, said, "REWIRE represents an important step in building Europe's capability in advanced remanufacturing. By combining industrial know-how with robotics, AI and digital technologies, the project will help manufacturers recover more value from products and components, strengthen competitiveness, and support the transition to a more circular and sustainable industrial base." Kevin Burke, National Director for Horizon Europe at Enterprise Ireland, said, "Enterprise Ireland has, through its Horizon Europe support team of National Contact Points, supported IMR to build and coordinate this important Horizon Europe project. We are particularly pleased that the consortium includes a dynamic Enterprise Ireland client company Dromone Engineering as well as UCD together with project partners from across Europe. Successful projects of this scale demonstrate the importance and impact of Enterprise Ireland's Technology Centres Programme and support our ambition for our clients to turn innovation into industrial impact by delivering increased commercial success in international markets." Dr Aswin Ramasubramanian, Robotics Technologist at IMR, said: "As REWIRE Coordinator, I am proud to lead this multi-million euro project and bring together a talented European expert team to show that remanufacturing can be just as fast, flexible and trusted as first-time manufacturing, while keeping valuable products and components in use for longer. By combining advanced robotics, AI, digital twins and traceability, we want to make it easier for manufacturers in sectors such as heavy machinery, automotive and electronics to recover value, cut waste and build more resilient supply chains." The project is expected to commence in May 2026 and will develop integrated solutions for traceability and lifecycle data, modular robotics and AI toolboxes, adaptive AI planners for automated disassembly and inspection, digital product passport deployment, upskilling toolkits, predictive safety architectures, and fast-track compliance modules for industrial remanufacturing. REWIRE also aims to contribute to wider European outcomes by helping to double remanufactured component volumes in the sectors addressed, stimulate new circular synergies, increase implementation capability, support skills development and contribute to standards advancement. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 101293592. See, https://imr.ie/ See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previ...

Kerry, a global leader in taste and nutrition, has announced that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a positive scientific opinion on Acrylerase, its novel amidase food enzyme designed to significantly reduce acrylamide in coffee extracts used to manufacture instant coffee and coffee substitutes. The opinion comes at a time of increased EU focus on acrylamide in coffee products. Acrylamide is a process-related contaminant formed naturally during high-temperature processing such as roasting and, in the EU, is treated as a substance of concern due to its genotoxic and carcinogenic properties. Under Regulation (EU) 2017/2158, food business operators are required to apply mitigation measures in line with the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle and monitor acrylamide levels against benchmark values, increasing demand for effective and practical solutions. Acrylerase is the first commercially available food enzyme designed to directly decompose acrylamide after it has formed, rather than reducing its formation indirectly through process modifications. As the first scientific assessment of an amidase for hydrolyzing acrylamide in coffee extracts and coffee substitutes for this purpose, EFSA's opinion marks an important advance in acrylamide mitigation under one of the world's most rigorous regulatory systems. EFSA positive conclusion on Acrylerase for intended use EFSA's positive scientific opinion confirms the safety of Acrylerase for its intended use in coffee extracts for instant coffee and coffee substitutes. As the first scientific assessment of an amidase for hydrolyzing acrylamide in these applications, the opinion represents an important regulatory milestone and provides manufacturers with greater confidence in adopting a targeted acrylamide-mitigation solution within the EU framework. "A positive EFSA opinion is a significant milestone for Acrylerase and for manufacturers evaluating new ways to mitigate acrylamide," said Yasemin Koybasi, Global Regulatory Director at Kerry. "It reflects the rigor of the EU food enzyme evaluation process and provides important reassurance on the safety of Acrylerase for its intended applications." Direct reduction without compromising quality Unlike conventional mitigation strategies that focus on precursor reduction or process adjustments, Acrylerase directly decomposes acrylamide during processing, giving manufacturers an additional intervention point without requiring changes to established recipes or operating parameters. Up to 90% reduction in acrylamide levels under relevant processing conditions, outperforming conventional mitigation strategies No impact on taste, aroma or product yield under the intended conditions of use Designed for integration into existing industrial coffee-processing workflows, supporting manufacturing continuity Strengthening Kerry's leadership in food enzymes The EFSA scientific opinion further strengthens Kerry's position in food enzyme innovation. The amidase expands Kerry's portfolio of enzymatic technologies designed to help customers address food safety, product quality and regulatory challenges across multiple categories. "This milestone demonstrates how targeted enzyme innovation can help solve real-world manufacturing and food safety challenges," said Ronan Moloney, Vice President of Enzymes at Kerry. "Acrylerase delivers measurable value for customers while supporting compliance with increasingly complex regulatory requirements." Collaboration with ANKA: combining enzyme science and coffee expertise Acrylerase was developed in close collaboration with ANKA, a globally recognized specialist in coffee processing technologies. ANKA's expertise in coffee chemistry, roasting dynamics and industrial applications helped translate enzyme innovation into a practical, scalable solution for the coffee industry. The partnership highlights the value of combining enzyme science with deep category expertise to deliver advances in...

Just under 40% (38%) of all electricity was generated by wind last month, making it the biggest contributor to Ireland's fuel mix in April, according to new provisional data from EirGrid. The figures show that overall, 48% of electricity came from renewable sources in April, with 6% of electricity generated by large (grid-scale) solar farms. This is the third consecutive month where renewable generation met around half of electricity demand, as significant progress continues to be made in integrating renewables onto Ireland's power system. To date, the developments EirGrid has made have enabled up to 75% of electricity to be generated from variable renewable sources (e.g. wind and solar) at any one time, and EirGrid has a significant work programme underway to increase this to 95%. Looking at the same month last year, EirGrid's metered data shows that 33% of electricity was generated by wind and 0.9% by grid-scale solar. Overall, total generation from wind and grid-scale solar last month was 1,078 GWh (Gigawatt hours) and 163 GWh, respectively, compared with 761 GWh and 119 GWh in April 2025. EirGrid balances supply and demand every minute of the day from the National Control Centre, while also planning for Ireland's long-term electricity needs. Elsewhere last month, gas generation accounted for 35% of all electricity used, while 16% was imported via interconnection. The overall electricity system demand stood at 2,865 GWh in April, compared to 3,142 GWh in March.2 April also saw a new record for solar power, as Ireland reached a new peak of over 1 GW (gigawatt) of electricity provided by grid-scale solar power for the first time. The peak of 1 GW (1021 MW) was set for the first time on Monday, 20 April at 12.19 pm. Another record of 1087 MW was then set on Friday, 24 April at 12.08 pm, followed by a record peak of 1133 MW on Saturday, 25 April at 2.14 pm. It is estimated that 1 GW is enough to power around 500,000 customers, and the new record is attributed to the growing number of large solar farms connected to the power system. Diarmaid Gillespie, EirGrid's Director of System Operations, said: "It's positive to see that this was the third consecutive month where almost half of Ireland's electricity was generated by renewables. Wind continues to be the largest contributor, but the growth of solar in Ireland's fuel mix if noteworthy as we head into the summer months." More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

By Patty Azzarello I am in a room of 15 men and 1 woman. I am the woman. I am 31. The guys all look 20 years older than me. I note their big smiles, comfortable banter, and silvering, executive hair; they all look very impressive. I had just been promoted to the executive level, and these were my new colleagues. Tips from Patty Azzarello My focus was split between two things: 1. I deserve to be in this room. I'm smart. I won this promotion fair and square. 2. It is undeniable that I am actually very young for this job—and I'm the only female. The thought reverberating through my entire being was I am not like them at all. Here I was, in my classy black suit and high heels, feeling way too young and very small. Watching all these men in their relaxed conversation circles made me think back to the very first job I had in my career. I was 17 and in my second year of college. I was a student engineering intern working for the US government. I had big hair and big boobs. All the full-time engineers were men, and all the other interns were older, male, and, by contrast, they all had neat hair and tidy, flat chests. I walked into the shared office and found them all talking. Their eyes met my boobs upon entry, but they did not invite me into the conversation. As I stood on the sidelines, it struck me like a bolt of lightning . . . These conversations are where everything happens. Everything. Everything at this job, everything at every job, and everything in the world. And—I am not in these conversations. I saw my whole career flash before my eyes. Endless groups of people over the course of my lifetime talking about and doing all the important stuff—without me. I knew I needed to put myself into that conversation circle of men, even though the thought of doing so in that moment made me feel panicked. But I took a deep breath and went in. It felt like that moment when you jump off the high dive. I was in motion but didn't know what would happen when I hit the water. Everyone looked surprised, like, "What is she doing here? She's not part of this group? She's never been in these conversations before." Then, they basically ignored me. I felt weird that I didn't have anything to say. But I stayed in it and just listened. I listened while they talked about the new car dealership on Route 71. I listened when they talked about the football game last night, and the new secretary's sweet ass in her tight skirt. But then, the conversation got to a new computer system being delivered tomorrow that we had an opportunity to get trained on if we wanted to. I leaped to the front of the line. None of the male interns leaped; they didn't even volunteer at all. I was the only one. A couple of weeks later, someone needed to demonstrate the new system to all the visiting generals. And I was the only one qualified. I realized something super important when I got that opportunity: As uncomfortable as it is to break into a conversation circle where I am not invited, if I can shove my way in there and just listen, just listening can create opportunities. So now, here I am in the present, after my big career promotion in my first big room of big corporate executives. I thought about the interns and the generals, and how I had forced my way into the conversation. So once again, I willed myself to walk into this intimidating conversation circle of executive men. And once again, they all ignored me. But I stayed there, I lurked. And again, I listened. I did not back away. Just stay in the room . . . People often ask me about my resilience. My formula is not that complicated. Anyone can do it. I just refuse to go away when I feel unwelcome. I realized that to ultimately get my voice heard, I would need to get in the room, stay there, and then listen like my life depended upon it. I was constantly searching for any small hook or a thread I could grab onto in a confident way. After lots of listening, I was able to form patterns that others were not seeing. I wa...

Applications are now open for one of Europe's best-known maker and applied technology events Applications are now open for Maker Faire Rome – The European Edition, which returns to Rome from October 23–25, 2026. The deadline for applications across all categories is June 15. Maker Faire Rome I covered the event for Irish Tech News last year (Irish Tech News has been reporting from the fair since 2019), and it remains one of the more interesting and hands-on technology events in Europe, particularly for people working in engineering, fabrication, sustainability, robotics, education and applied research. Three calls now open Organisers have opened three separate calls for participation. Call for Makers Open internationally to startups, companies, makers and innovators working across robotics, AI, IoT, sustainability, digital fabrication, agritech, wearables, food technology, space technologies and related areas. Call for Makers 2026 Call for Schools Open to student teams aged 14–18 from Italy and across the European Union. Call for Schools 2026 Call for Universities and Research Institutes Open internationally to researchers, doctoral candidates, university teams, public research institutes and academic spin-outs. Call for Universities and Research Institutes 2026 Selected participants receive exhibition space free of charge, including practical supports such as setup services, electricity and Wi-Fi where applicable. Projects are reviewed by an independent Scientific Committee. A very different type of tech event Maker Faire Rome takes place at the Gazometro Ostiense complex, a huge former industrial gasworks site in the south of Rome. The industrial setting suits the event well. Inside the old steel structures are hundreds of working demonstrations, prototypes, experiments and exhibits, ranging from school projects to university research and startup technologies. The event is linked to the wider international maker movement through Make: and the broader network of Maker Faire events worldwide. That maker culture still comes through strongly in Rome, with many projects still at prototype stage rather than polished commercial products. Robots, research and experimental ideas At Maker Faire Rome – The European Edition you could move within minutes from teams of robots playing football to scientific research tackling the Xylella fastidiosa pest devastating olive groves across southern Europe. Nearby were startup competitions, robotics labs, AI demonstrations, digital fabrication projects, accessibility technologies and experimental sustainability ideas. One area featured remarkable wooden pinball machines created by Italian maker Massimiliano Aiazzi, combining mechanics, craftsmanship and engineering using levers, pulleys and counterweights rather than electronics. Elsewhere, students demonstrated autonomous vehicles, researchers showcased underwater communication systems and artists explored the overlap between sculpture, fabrication and digital design. What makes Maker Faire Rome unusual is that it does not feel like a polished trade show. It feels more like a huge working laboratory where inventors, researchers, makers and students openly test ideas in public inside Rome's Gazometro Ostiense. The event also reflects Italy's strong engineering and manufacturing tradition, with practical problem-solving and applied technology more visible than marketing hype. Why events like this still matter Many technology events are increasingly dominated by polished presentations and commercial messaging. Maker Faire Rome still feels closer to a working laboratory. Visitors spend time talking directly with makers, researchers, engineers and students about technologies that are often still evolving. For Irish startups, researchers, schools, makers and engineering-led projects, it remains a worthwhile event to watch and potentially participate in. Applications close on June 15, 2026. Maker Faire Rome is organised by the Rome Chamber of Commer...

Gas Networks Ireland has signed an agreement with Stream BioEnergy to connect a new €80 million biomethane facility in Little Island, Co. Cork, to the national gas network. The announcement is due to be made today at the All-Island Bioeconomy Summit at the Johnstown Estate, Co. Meath. Speaking on the news, Gas Networks Ireland's Head of Business Development Karen Doyle said: "This agreement with Stream BioEnergy marks another important milestone in the development of Ireland's renewable gas sector. Biomethane has a vital role to play in supporting Ireland's transition to a lower-carbon energy system while also delivering sustainable solutions for organic waste management. "Connecting facilities such as this to the national gas network demonstrates how existing infrastructure can support Ireland's climate action targets, energy security and circular economy ambitions." "Currently under construction, Stream BioEnergy's new facility in Little Island is expected to become operational in 2027 and will process approximately 90,000 tonnes of domestic and commercial food and garden waste annually. Using anaerobic digestion technology, the plant will produce 80 GWh of renewable biomethane each year — enough renewable gas to meet the annual heating demand of approximately 6,000 homes. "The project will be Ireland's largest biomethane plant using mixed food and garden waste and represents a significant step forward in the country's transition to renewable energy and circular waste management. "By injecting renewable biomethane directly into the national gas network, the facility will help reduce reliance on fossil fuels and artificial fertilisers while supporting Ireland's decarbonisation ambitions. The project is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 40,000 tonnes of CO? annually, equivalent to removing around 17,000 cars from Irish roads." Morgan Burke, Chief Operating Officer of Stream BioEnergy, added: "Renewable Gas can play a central role in reducing our emissions, and this agreement with Gas Networks Ireland marks a significant milestone for both companies and for the development of Ireland's biomethane sector. Our project in Little Island will provide for sustainable management of organic waste, enhance energy security, whilst contributing to our energy transition and decarbonisation targets in a meaningful way." The agreement underlines Gas Networks Ireland's ongoing commitment to working with Ireland's emerging biomethane producers to deliver cleaner, more secure and more sustainable energy for the country. Stream Bioenergy's Little Island facility is the seventh biomethane production plant to be contracted to connect to the national gas network in the last three years with further contracts currently at an advanced stage of discussion. See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

New research led by Trinity College Dublin's AI Accountability Lab pinpoints the growing threat posed by the influence AI companies have over the rule of law, and people's lives, as well as outlining how society can stem the tide. The international team behind the work, which comprised researchers based in Ireland, the United States, Scotland and The Netherlands, mapped the growing and outsized influence that the "Big AI" industry exerts on the capture and control of the narrative, and of the regulatory measures related to AI and its ever-growing use in society. After taking a deep dive into literature and media reports, the multi-disciplinary team identified 27 established patterns of "corporate capture", a process by which regulation and public bodies come to act in the interest of corporations rather than people. Applying their classification to a dataset of 100 articles, specifically published around four critical events between 2023 and 2025 (the EU AI Act trilogues and the global AI summits in the UK, South Korea and France), they found 249 cases fitting capture patterns. Of these instances, the most prevalent relate to: 1) Narrative capture, dominated by narratives such as "regulation stifles innovation" and "red tape" whereby regulation is portrayed as unnecessary, excessive, or obsolete. 2) Elusion of law, pertaining to violations and contentious interpretations of antitrust, privacy, copyright and labour laws. How does Big AI exert such influence? Growing evidence, outlined in the research, suggests that Big AI has undermined and resisted regulation, oversight and enforcement in a variety of ways, such as lobbying; retaliated against whistleblowers, researchers and law-makers; and benefited in some cases from a "revolving door" model where former policymakers go on to advise or take employment with major AI companies. There are also many examples of Big AI making significant donations to political parties, public officials owning equity in regulated companies, while some governments and political leaders have also set the stage to undermine existing rules. For example, after previously calling for "simplification", in October 2025 EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen explicitly advocated for deregulation. Dr Abeba Birhane, Director of Trinity's AI Accountability Lab, based in the ADAPT Research Ireland Centre and Trinity's School of Computer Science and Statistics, led the new research. She said: "In addition to 'narrative capture' and the violations and contentious interpretations of antitrust, privacy, copyright and labour laws that were most recurrent, we also found that Big AI frequently uses the notion that 'regulation stifles innovation' and that 'red tape can stymy national interest' to rationalise their control of the overall narrative." Zeerak Talat, one of the co-authors from the University of Edinburgh, added: "The regulatory and oversight structures and processes that govern the industry deeply impact everything from fostering public trust in systems marketed as AI to the credibility of scientific knowledge, and from educational and healthcare services to information ecosystems, the environment, rule of law and even the integrity of democratic processes." What is the potential impact of this research? Over the past decade, the AI industry has come to exert an unprecedented economic, political and societal power and influence. And that continues to grow. This work: 1) provides a new framework for understanding and identifying the many different ways in which Big AI controls the narrative and influences associated regulatory measures; and 2) categorises the most prevalent mechanisms in which the industry does that. Riccardo Angius, PhD Researcher in the AIAL at Trinity, added: "This work provides policymakers and other researchers with rigorous context to comprehend the extent and depth of the pervasive and multifaceted capture of AI regulation by corporate actors. It calls into question the loom...

Audrey AI, a Dublin startup building AI for financial auditors recently announced a $1.8m pre-seed. The round was backed by Sure Valley Ventures, Delta Partners and Enterprise Ireland, with Donnchadh Casey (ex-CEO of Calypso) and Conor Jones (ex-CBO of Wayflyer) also investing. To find out more I caught up with Ryan Laughran the CEO and Co-Founder of Audrey AI. More about Ryan Loughran: Ryan has a BSc Accounting, from Queen's University Belfast and an MBA from Stanford. With 5+ years in professional services at McKinsey & Co he also has 5 years helping audit firms adopt technology at Qualtrics. See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.