Conference Chairperson & Opening Remarks
Understanding AI: What It Is & Why It Matters
Speaker: Lee Bristow, CEO, Dawn Horizon Ltd
- What AI is - and what it’s not
- Key types: Narrow AI, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing
- AI tools you already use without realising it (Microsoft 365, Gmail, social media feeds)
- Debunking the myths: AI isn’t about replacing people - it’s about enabling better work
AI in the Irish Workplace Today: Risks, Gaps & Opportunities
- Key insights from Microsoft Ireland & Trinity College’s Workplace AI Report
- The rise of “Shadow AI” – how unregulated staff use is putting companies at risk
- Who’s adopting AI well – and what others can learn
- The opportunity for SMEs and public bodies to leapfrog with smart, low-cost tools
From Confusion to Confidence: Making Copilot for Microsoft 365 Work for Your Organisation
Speaker: Fiona Walsh, Microsoft Master Trainer, Empower Presentations
- Demystifying Copilot
- Live Demos
- Summarising meetings
- Drafting presentations
- Drafting emails
- Generating reports
- Common Pitfalls
AI Ethics & Responsible Use: What Every Organisation Needs to Know
Speaker: Siobhán O’Leary, Founder of SOL Learning
- AI bias and fairness: What the risks are and how to manage them
- Transparency and explainability: Why it matters for public trust and decision-making
- Surveillance concerns and human oversight
- Building a culture of responsibility in your organisation
The EU AI Act 2025: What It Means for SMEs & Public Bodies
Speaker: David O’ Sullivan, Director, Privacy and Data Protection Team, Forvis Mazars
- A breakdown of AI risk categories: Unacceptable, High, Limited, Minimal
- What qualifies as high-risk AI and what your obligations are
- Drafting your Corporate AI Policy – templates, best practice, and legal context
- GDPR meets AI: Understanding the compliance crossover
AI in Action: Real Use Cases from Irish SMEs & Public Services
- Retail & E-commerce: Personalisation and inventory forecasting
- Public services: AI chatbots for citizen queries, case-handling automation
- Logistics: Predictive maintenance and supply chain optimisation
- Finance & Legal: Automating document generation and reporting
The People Side of AI: Upskilling, Strategy & Change Management
Speaker: Patrick Shields, Experienced Leader, PhD Researcher - Generative AI
- Creating an AI-ready workforce: key skills, roles and mindsets
- How to identify internal AI champions
- Bridging the gap: helping non-technical teams engage with generative AI
- Understanding resistance: what behavioural science teaches us about AIadoption
Prompt Engineering: The Skill That Unlocks AI’s Full Potential
Speaker: Donna O'Leary, Principal Consultant, DOL Consultancy
- What is prompt engineering – and why it matters in every business function
- The anatomy of a good prompt: clarity, context, and specificity
- Examples of effective vs poor prompts in real workplace scenarios
- How to guide AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot to generate useful, accurate results
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