AI Ireland with Mark Kelly

Today’s guest is Gillian O’Donnell, Director of Growth at yieldHUB. Semiconductor manufacturers face growing pressure to produce more chips while maintaining quality and controlling costs. In today’s episode, Gillian joined host Mark Kelly to tell us about how AI and real-time data help engineers detect problems earlier, improve production yield and get more from existing equipment.Topics include:
0:00 Her journey from data science to business development at yieldHUB
3:02 How yieldHUB improves chip manufacturing through real-time insights and automation
4:49 How real-time AI recommendations improve chip yields and equipment utilisation
8:39 Building trustworthy AI for smarter factories and empowered engineers
10:55 Centralising data and preserving knowledge to power AI growth
This episode is sponsored by Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet, helping Irish businesses close AI skills gaps through practical, funded training and bespoke programmes for their teams. Learn more at https://ictskillnet.ie/

Today’s guest is Denis Hannigan, AI & Data Lead, Accenture in Ireland. AI tools are helping employees work more efficiently, but turning individual gains into business-wide results takes more than access to the latest technology. In today’s episode, Denis joins host Mark Kelly to discuss what successful adoption requires: from reliable data, better-designed processes and a workforce equipped to put AI into practice.
Topics include:
0:00 His journey from strategy to AI across 25 years at Accenture
2:18 Moving from personal AI productivity to measurable enterprise impact
6:13 Preparing data and people to turn AI into value
10:19 Redesigning work with AI while managing shadow AI risks
12:31 Redesigning entire workflows with AI to overcome process bottlenecks
14:35 Helping leaders build AI skills and drive meaningful change
16:21 Unlocking AI agents’ potential through redesigned workflows and governance
18:07 How Accenture uses AI internally to guide client adoption
20:10 Connecting with Ireland’s AI community at the 2026 AI Awards

Today's guest is Catherine Doyle, General Manager at Microsoft Ireland. Employees are embracing AI faster than their employers can adapt, creating a growing gap between individual productivity and business-wide results. Catherine joins host Mark Kelly on today's show to discuss how organisations can close that gap through stronger leadership, better data, practical training and a clear focus on measurable outcomes.Topics include:
0:00 Ireland’s rise to third in global AI adoption
2:17 Why leaders must catch up with employees using AI
4:38 How AI agents are reshaping careers, work and business
9:09 Closing the AI training gap and scaling adoption responsibly
12:39 Building trusted data without slowing down your AI journey
14:00 Measuring AI’s business impact, return on investment and growth
18:29 Showcasing Irish innovation and impact at AI Awards 2026

Today’s guest is Carl Kane, Group Data Culture Lead at Bank of Ireland. AI adoption is moving faster than many businesses can keep up with, with employees often taking the lead before company strategies catch up. In this episode, Carl speaks about what it takes to turn individual experimentation into meaningful business results, exploring leadership, data readiness, AI literacy and the role of storytelling in bringing people along.Topics include:
0:00 His journey from euro conversion, evolving into banking data analytics
5:56 Using storytelling to connect people, improve collaboration and drive better outcomes
8:07 How data governance orchestrates collaboration to deliver trusted, high-quality data
10:48 Why becoming data-led requires clean data and improved data fluency
12:39 Why AI adoption requires literacy, governance and responsible use before scaling
16:18 Using AI agents to analyse and compare lengthy industry research papers
17:18 How data enables personalised, flexible customer journeys across digital and human channels
18:29 How mentors helped develop his storytelling, leadership and data interpretation skills

Today's guest is George Filippou, Founder at Mar-Sci. In the episode, George explores how AI and open-source tools can help advertisers manage budgets more effectively. Drawing on his breath of experience in the industry, George discusses the challenges of building trust in AI recommendations, the continued importance of human judgement and his journey from marketer to startup founder.Topics include:
0:00 His career journey from Marketing Practitioner to founding Mar-Sci
5:24 Building an AI Moat in a Rapidly Changing Market
8:12 How AI Agents Could Become the Biggest Customers
9:28 As AI Is Transforming Marketing, Trust Still Matters
14:53 Building Flexible AI Products Without Losing Your Core
17:47 The Possibility of AI Driving Digital Advertising Costs Even Higher

Visit https://mar-sci.com/ to discover how MarSci can help your business make smarter marketing decisions.This episode is sponsored by Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet, helping Irish businesses close AI skills gaps through practical, funded training and bespoke programmes for their teams. Learn more at https://ictskillnet.ie/