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“AI optimism has turned into an over-hyping of the technology that is misplaced”
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"AI optimism has turned into an over-hyping of the technology that is misplaced” warns Professor Barry O’ Sullivan, Director of UCC Futures in AI and Data Analytics.
His remarks were delivered on Tuesday evening at University College Cork's (UCC) second annual Business Engagement event, which brought together just under 300 attendees from across Ireland’s business community.
Founding director of both the Research Ireland Insight Research Centre for Data Analytics and the Research Ireland Centre for Research Training in Artificial Intelligence, Professor O’ Sullivan delivered the keynote address at the event, addressing the harmful effects of over-hyping of artificial intelligence technology and the obligation that third level institutions like UCC have to counter such narratives.
“Generative AI systems are at their core, text prediction systems. They have no understanding of what they generate, they do not have common sense, and they are prone to hallucination – the phenomenon by which they appear to generate false statements.”
“AI offers enormous opportunities to create business value, but it is critically important that businesses focus on using the right technologies in the right setting to maximise value. At UCC we are here to help businesses navigate the hype around AI to ensure that they get the most effective solution that meets their business needs. The focus must always be on the ethical adoption of trustworthy AI solutions.”
The business engagement event showcased the many ways UCC collaborates with industry, from research expertise to talent and skills development to innovation and technologies. Industry partner Keevlar, an AI-driven sourcing optimisation and autonomous sourcing company, shared insights into their successful partnership with UCC, illustrating how such partnerships are driving advancements across the area of artificial intelligence.
UCC leads Ireland in industry engagement, securing over €121.5 million in research funding in 2024, and has the highest graduate employability rate of Irish universities.
Professor O’ Sullivan also spoke to the importance of AI education and literacy in ensuring that AI is used responsibly, ethically, and impactfully. UCC’s new AI Academy for lifelong learning was launched during the event, offering a variety of courses for industry with a view to helping organisations meet their literacy obligations under the European Union’s AI Act, as well as supporting companies deep-dive on practical uses of AI in industry.
“University College Cork is a leader in research, development and responsible deployment of Artificial Intelligence. UCC has prioritised AI as one of its key research areas, and our research-led teaching embeds this in the curriculum, preparing all students for a future increasingly shaped by AI. We also launched our UCC AI skills academy this evening to support enterprise in this important skills agenda. This event reflects our commitment to empowering business leaders to harness this transformative technology effectively for lasting impact” stated Professor John O’Halloran, President of UCC.
“We are delighted to bring our UCC AI experts and members of industry together this evening to discuss and share knowledge around how we can best utilise AI to become a strategic asset that drives innovation, boosts efficiency and increases business value. While there has been great progress made in AI over the last number of years, it is crucial that the focus remains on ethical use and deployment of AI, and we at UCC are focused and committed to helping industry as they embark on that journey” stated Rachel O’ Leary, Director of Business Engagement at UCC.