ADAPT Radio

• Digital Propaganda: How AI is Reshaping Public Discourse

  Claire O'Connell hosts a discussion on AI and digital propaganda with media historians Nelson Riviero and Professor Aphra Kerr. They highlight the prevalence and hyper-personalisation of digital propaganda, which polarises public discourse and undermines democracy. AI accelerates the creation and dissemination of disinformation, often targeting specific demographics. Recent events in Ireland and Spain exemplify this, with false narratives spreading rapidly. Both experts stress the need for media literacy, early education, and regulatory action to combat this threat. They also discuss the role of universities in training students in both tech and ethics, and the importance of a multi-faceted approach to counter digital propaganda effectively. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT ● AI's Role in Digital Propaganda ● Impact on Democratic Processes ● Media Literacy and Education ● Targeted Disinformation Strategies ● Regulation and Platform Accountability GUEST DETAILS Aphra Kerr is Full Professor of Digital Media & Communication and a senior adviser at the UCD Centre for Digital Policy. She is an adjunct Professor of Sociology at Maynooth University and a co-PI at the ADAPT Research Ireland Centre for AI and Digital Content Technology. Vice-Rector for Transformation, Collaboration and International Affairs at Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Dr. Ribeiro coordinates the Doctoral Program in Communication Sciences and the research group “Media Narratives and Cultural Memory” at the Center for Communication and Culture Studies ( CECC). He was the Dean of the Faculty of Human Sciences between 2016 and 2025 MORE INFORMATION You can learn more about your AI Literacy in the Classroom here: https://ai-literacy-in-the-classroom.adaptcentre.ie/ Adapt Radio is produced by https://dustpod.io for the Adapt Centre For more information about ADAPT visit www.adaptcentre.ie QUOTES Negative content often drives engagement, and then the algorithms will actually boost that even more - Professor Aphra Kerr The role that AI is playing… is that it actually helps speed up the process of creating propaganda content. - Professor Nelson Ribero Younger generations… they know how to use those tools, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they understand how those tools work. - Professor Nelson Ribero You can’t fight propaganda with propaganda — you fight propaganda with education and media literacy. - Professor Nelson Ribero Media literacy isn’t about blaming individuals — it’s about equipping people to navigate a complex digital world. - Professor Aphra Kerr KEYWORDS #DigitalPropaganda #AIDisinformation #MediaLiteracy #AlgorithmManipulation #ElectionInterference #SocialMedia #TargetedMessaging #TechnologicalEthics #Democracy #Misinformation

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• Explainable AI in Action: From Tutors to Health Tech

  Every day, AI systems influence how we learn, shop, and make decisions—but to truly support us, AI must communicate in ways tailored to who we are as individuals. In this episode, we share a keynote speech from the ADAPT Annual Scientific Conference that explores Explainable AI and its potential to personalize user experiences. The talk discusses how AI can adapt explanations to users’ unique traits and moment-to-moment states, improving trust and understanding. It highlights real-world applications in intelligent tutoring systems, recommender platforms, and healthcare technologies, illustrating how human-centered AI is reshaping interactions. Join us as we explore the future of AI that not only acts intelligently but also connects meaningfully with each user. Our guest speaker is Professor of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia, Cristina Conati, a pioneer in user modeling, personalization, and explainable AI. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT ● Evolving from generic systems to human-centred AI ● Unlocking personalization through multimodal signals ● Improving user trust, engagement, and learning outcomes ● Real-World applications from intelligent tutoring systems to healthcare technologies ● Complexities and ethical considerations of delivery GUEST DETAILS Professor Cristina Conati is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia (UBC). She holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Milan and both a Master’s and Ph.D. in Intelligent Systems from the University of Pittsburgh. Her research lies at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), and Cognitive Science, focusing on creating intelligent systems that adapt to individual users' needs. Professor Conati has over 100 peer-reviewed publications and has received multiple Best Paper Awards. She is an ACM Distinguished Member and an AAAI Senior Member. https://www.cs.ubc.ca/people/cristina-conati MORE INFORMATION You can learn more about your AI Literacy in the Classroom here: https://ai-literacy-in-the-classroom.adaptcentre.ie/ Adapt Radio is produced by DustPod.io for the Adapt Centre For more information about ADAPT visit www.adaptcentre.ie/ QUOTES In order to have this AI driven personalization during interaction, what needs to be done is to establish what we call the AI driven personalization loop. - Cristina Conati We're working towards creating intelligent systems that can understand to whom, when and how, to provide explanations of their behaviors. - Cristina Conati The explanation should be designed so that a user can choose at what level of detail to go deeper. - Cristina Conati It would be important to look at different user characteristics that might impact, like user reading proficiency or abilities to process visual information. - Cristina Conati It’s super important to understand interplay between explanations and under or over reliance with AI. - Cristina Conati KEYWORDS #HumancenteredAI #explainableAI #usermodels #multimodal #learning #health

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• Empowering Cancer Patients with AI

  How many times have you gone to the doctor and then on the way home from the appointment, realized there were things that you forgot to ask about? Today, we hear about an AI-powered platform that helps patients record questions and quality-of-life issues ahead of time to support more effective consultations. Currently being trialled with cancer patients, we hear how the system integrates with electronic health records, improves patient engagement, and has the potential to cut clinician workload in half. Our guest is a seasoned expert in digitising patient care with over 25 years of experience in clinical and research settings. We’re delighted to welcome CEO of eAltra, Denis Roche. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT ● The role of AI in enhancing patient communication ● Human-centreed design and clinical insight in ai development ● Technical integration with electronic health records (EHR) ● Real-world testing and impact on clinical workflows ● Incorporating wearable and environmental data GUEST DETAILS Denis Roche is the CEO and founder of eAltra, a Trinity College Dublin spinout developing conversational AI to support cancer care. With over 25 years of experience in digitising patient pathways, Denis brings deep expertise in cognitive computing and data analytics. His clinical insights, gained from working in leading healthcare settings, have driven eAltra’s mission to address global under-capacity in cancer care. Under his leadership, the company has secured Enterprise Ireland funding and won Best Emerging AI at Spark Crowdfunding’s Top 100 Awards. https://www.eAltra.com/ MORE INFORMATION You can learn more about your AI Literacy in the Classroom here: https://ai-literacy-in-the-classroom.adaptcentre.ie/ Adapt Radio is produced by DustPod.io for the Adapt Centre For more information about ADAPT visit www.adaptcentre.ie QUOTES It's really just to combine the information source with the accessibility, making it more powerful. - Denis Roche What we're trying to do at eAltra is to equip the patient as best as we can. Give them the information that they need, in the way that they want it, at the time that they need it. - Denis Roche We're trying to create somewhere that patients can come and know that it's safe and it's private. - Denis Roche The hospital teams think it's going to bring the time they spend down by about 50%. - Denis Roche It feeds into streamlining or improving the patient scheduling process. - Denis Roche KEYWORDS #AI #technology #cancer #healthcare #EHR #clinicaltrials #patient #data #digitalhealth

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• Facial Recognition: Innovation or Invasion?

  Facial recognition technology is becoming a routine part of daily life, from unlocking phones to assisting law enforcement. But as its use expands, so do the ethical and legal dilemmas it presents. Today we dive into the mechanics of facial recognition technology—how it works, its limitations, and the biases it can reinforce. From government policies to legal frameworks, and the importance of public awareness in shaping the future of AI-powered surveillance, we break down the pressing issues surrounding this technology. Joining us are two experts who are working to promote awareness and caution around FRT. They are Assistant Professor at Maynooth University’s School of Law and Criminology, Dr. Ciara Bracken-Roche, and Senior Policy Officer at ICCL and coordinator of the International Network of Civil Liberties Organizations, Olga Cronin. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT ● The rise of facial recognition technology in everyday life and law enforcement ● Concerns about ethics, flaws and AI bias in FRT ● Examining government policies, legal challenges, and human rights issues ● Potential dangers and misuse of mass surveillance ● Engaging society to critically think through creative mediums GUEST DETAILS Dr. Ciara Bracken-Roche is an Assistant Professor in the School of Law and Criminology at Maynooth University, and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Criminology at the University of Ottawa. She completed her PhD (Queen's University), MA (Warwick), and BSc (Toronto). Ciara's current line of research explores the adoption and use of drones and other surveillance technologies in Canada and Ireland by policing and public safety agencies. https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/people/ciara-bracken-roche Olga Cronin is a Senior Policy Officer of Enforce and the coordinator of the International Network of Civil Liberties Organisations (INCLO). She is focused on facial recognition technology, encryption, state surveillance, privacy and data protection. Her work to date, with academics and other NGOs, helped prevent use of the powerful mass surveillance without pre-legislative scrutiny or debate. She also leads ICCL’s work on several EU proposals, including the EU ‘ChatControl’ proposal which could mandate unprecedented mass surveillance of all public and private digital communications. She is leading several complaints to the Data Protection Commission. https://www.iccl.ie/staff/olga-cronin/ MORE INFORMATION You can learn more about your AI Literacy in the Classroom here: https://ai-literacy-in-the-classroom.adaptcentre.ie/ Adapt Radio is produced by DustPod.io for the Adapt Centre For more information about ADAPT visit www.adaptcentre.ie/ KEYWORDS #AI #facialrecognition #biometric #data #humanrights #masssurveillance #AIAdvisoryCouncil

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• AI Literacy in the Classroom

  AI is transforming education at an unprecedented pace, which means teachers need to think closely about how to harness the power of AI. In this episode we learn about a new initiative that aims to help teachers navigate AI to better education, rather than hinder it. We hear how AI is already impacting classrooms across the world, from technical worries to ethical concerns, and how educational content and assessment can be adjusted to embrace rapidly evolving technologies. Our guests are two experts involved in the new AI Literacy in the Classroom initiative. They are Head of Education, Engagement and Societal Impact at ADAPT, Laura Grehan, and Associate Professor of Digital Learning at Dublin City University, Dr Eamon Costello. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT ● How AI is impacting education for both teachers and students ● Overview of the AI Literacy in the Classroom Initiative ● Where AI has practical uses in education ● Addressing biases and ethical considerations in AI ● Future-proofing for technology advancements with AI literacy GUEST DETAILS Laura Grehan is Head of Education, Engagement and Societal Impact at ADAPT and a member of the ADAPT Executive Management Committee. ADAPT’s EPE programme has been reviewed internationally as being “outstanding”, and the ADAPT EPE team was awarded a DCU President’s Staff Recognition Award 2021 in recognition of its exceptional work. Under Laura’s leadership, ADAPT has won over €1.5m in funding for EPE projects at national and international level. Some of these projects have won international awards recognising their high quality and an exemplary pivot to online delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. https://www.adaptcentre.ie/experts/laura-grehan/ Dr Costello is an Associate professor of Digital Learning at Dublin City University and an accomplished teacher, researcher and public speaker. He is deeply curious about how we learn in different environments and is known as a creative and innovative communicator. He is concerned with how we actively shape our world so that we can have better and more humane places in which to think, work, live and learn. He is an advocate of using the right tool for the job or sometimes none at all, for not everything can be fixed or should be built. https://www.dcu.ie/stemeducationinnovationglobalstudies/people/eamon-costello MORE INFORMATION You can learn more about your AI Literacy in the Classroom here: https://ai-literacy-in-the-classroom.adaptcentre.ie/ Adapt Radio is produced by DustPod.io for the Adapt Centre For more information about ADAPT visit www.adaptcentre.ie/ KEYWORDS #AI #literacy #education #generativeAI # teachertraining #criticalthinking #biases #ethics

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