ENAIBLER site visit: AI & collaboration in Buncrana

Insightful discussions, cutting-edge AI expertise, and valuable insights were exchanged during the ENAIBLER site visit held on April 16th and 17th in Buncrana, County Donegal, Ireland and hosted by ERNACT. Cllr Rena Donaghey from Donegal County Council opened the event and welcomed ENAIBLER partners and stakeholders to Buncrana and to the Inishowen Innovation Digital Hub (theii). Anne Marie McLaughlin, theii hub manager, followed by welcoming the attendees to the hub.

During day 1, an insightful morning session on Artificial Intelligence was conducted by Aoife D'Arcy, CEO of Krisolis, a leading training company in Ireland. In the first session, she delved into what AI is, opportunities for AI, and how we can apply it in our organizations. After the break, she continued with the second session of the morning on Introduction to AI tools and tips for developing AI solutions. In this session, she covered AI project processes, AI teams, AI tools, and systems.

ENAIBLER partners had the opportunity to learn more about theii with Anne Marie McLaughlin. Inishowen Innovation is an innovation hub, focusing on disruptive digital technologies and business models. It offers its members growth and scaling opportunities, access to world-class standard technological knowledge and skills and state-of-the-art co-working facilities purposely designed for collaboration.

After the lunch break, it was time for local startups. Liam Coyle, founder of BrandCanvas, an AI-powered design agency, shared latest development into the use of AI for Design & Photography, while Jaime Caldwell, founder of Lead Inquiry (LI) Edu, shed light on the transformative role of AI in revolutionizing education, including leveraging tools like ChatGPT.

Additionally, a fruitful discussion on a pilot proposal was held with ENAIBLER project partner Vanda Turczi from Région Bourgogne-Franche-Comté about AI for optimizing water consumption and detecting anomalies in high schools.

During Day 2, Cllr Jack Murray from Donegal County Council kicked off the second day event and extended a warm welcome to all attendees.

The second day of the ENAIBLER event was equally enriching as participants delved into a hands-on Chat GPT workshop facilitated by our local European Digital Innovation Hub, Data2Sustain, and delivered by Sean Keys from the WiSAR Lab and ATU Donegal researchers. This interactive session encompassed utilizing both ChatGPT and manual methods to craft business model canvases and pitch concepts, allowing for a comprehensive comparison of processes and outcomes.

Following the workshop, Dr. Margaret Quinn, ENAIBLER lead partner from ERNACT, presented updates on ongoing AI projects within ERNACT. Margaret showcased Ernie, ERNACT’s internal chatbot, providing a demonstration of its functionalities. And afterwards, project partners looked into the context analysis with Clive Peckham from Nièvre Numérique.

One of the French stakeholders, Victor Vila, from ARNia (Regional Agency for Artificial and Digital Intelligence of the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region), highlighted the collaborative nature of AI development and the importance of team engagement. He highlighted the role of AI as an assistant in workflows, urging deliberate integration decisions. In addition, Vila encouraged hands-on learning, encouraging experimentation and feedback for continuous improvement.

Thanks to our hosts ERNACT and all our partners and stakeholders for the fantastic 2-day event. Stay tuned for more innovations and collaborations ahead!

Don't miss the video of the 2-day event!!