ADAPT Radio

Democratic stability faces an unprecedented challenge from hyper-accelerated digital disruption and algorithmic manipulation. We examine the strategic intersection of technology, law, and human rights as the Council of the European Union presidency transitions to Ireland. This discussion defines the research agenda for the new Trinity Centre for Digital Security and Societal Resilience. Our guests...

As Ireland prepares for its 2026 Presidency of the Council of the European Union, a critical challenge looms. The technology landscape is shifting dramatically, with foundational AI models concentrating immense power and influence into the hands of a few major players. This dependence introduces massive risks, including uncontrollable costs and a profound lack of national agency over essential dig...

In an age where critical infrastructure, democratic processes and public services all depend on digital technology, the stakes for getting cybersecurity right have never been higher. A ransomware attack can shut down a country’s health service overnight, and AI now makes it possible to fabricate passports, clone voices and impersonate anyone convincingly. The question is no longer whether somethin...

The increasing sophistication of AI-generated content—like deepfake video and perfect scam calls—is rapidly heightening the risk of disinformation, phishing, and social engineering for everyone. This evolution means all citizens, from primary school pupils to public service leaders, must urgently build digital resilience and cyber literacy. Professor Rachel Farrell and Paul Stanley discuss the cri...

Artificial Intelligence is deeply embedded in essential everyday services, often without public awareness, making AI literacy a critical issue of personal autonomy, social inclusion, and online safety for older adults. Without foundational knowledge, this demographic risks being shaped by AI rather than shaping its future. The Age-Friendly AI initiative is working to close this knowledge gap throu...

Trustworthy information faces crisis as overwhelming content volume pushes people toward single trusted voices yet statistical language models trained on internet data produce plausible but sometimes incorrect answers lacking true intelligence or understanding. Professor Jennifer Edmond, Director Digital Humanities Trinity College Dublin leading KT 4D project examining AI, big data and democracy t...

Trustworthy information faces crisis as overwhelming content volume pushes people toward single trusted voices yet statistical language models trained on internet data produce plausible but sometimes incorrect answers lacking true intelligence or understanding. Professor Jennifer Edmond, Director Digital Humanities Trinity College Dublin leading KT 4D project examining AI, big data and democracy t...

Local government faces challenge implementing generative AI ethically whilst maintaining public trust and data security as new EU AI Act regulations require basic AI literacy training for staff. Khizer Ahmed Biyabani, researcher with ADAPT at Trinity College Dublin and 2025 Digital Transformation Rising IT Star winner, alongside Richie Shakespeare, assistant staff officer Dublin City Council, expl...

Teachers face overwhelming preparation burden as global education shifts toward personalised learning and outcomes based curricula without adequate infrastructure support creating fragmented system between teachers, students, school leaders and departments. Dr Chris Byrne, founder and CEO of MESO offering intelligent planning software for teachers supported by Enterprise Ireland and ADAPT Centre T...

When your AI agent books a rental car, it needs your driver's license, credit card, calendar access and permission to message your contacts—creating what Meredith Whittaker calls "fundamental backdoor" threatening apps like Signal.  At ADAPT ADVANCE 2025, Signal Foundation President and AI Now Institute co-founder Meredith Whittaker joined Dr Abeba Birhane for a fireside chat dissecting why "bigge...

Ireland's territorial waters are among Europe's largest, yet monitoring this vast maritime expanse for unauthorized vessels, environmental threats, and infrastructure protection remains an enormous challenge with current surveillance technologies. Professor Marco Ruffini and Dr. John Kennedy from Trinity College Dublin have developed Sea-Scan, a revolutionary system that transforms existing unders...

Ireland is facing a housing crisis, and yet countless buildings sit empty and unused. In this episode of Adapt Radio, Dr. Clare O’Connell speaks with Dr. Philip Crowe and Milo Dennehy from University College Dublin about a bold, AI-driven project to map and tackle building vacancy across the country. Discover why data on empty buildings is so patchy, how new tech could unlock hidden opportunities...

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 S...

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 trai...

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 elec...

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 publ...

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 cont...

Many of our daily interactions are reliant on the processing of personal data from emails, to social media, our phones and SMART devices. What happens to that data after we die? Although many of us don’t like to think about it, we will leave behind a huge digital footprint with data that could be useful to future generations. Today we hear how AI can help shape our digital legacy and how digital l...

As AI becomes a bigger part of our world it can be utilised to power research and studies in ways that were never possible before. Today we hear about new research that has used AI to expose the harms of gambling marketing in sport. Through analysis of sporting programmes, social media consumption and focus groups with young people, they discovered the shocking reach these companies have into our...

As AI continues to shape our society, how can we make sure that it doesn't harm minority groups or exacerbate inequalities? Today we hear from two experts who are a part of a brand new research group that is working to keep AI accountable. The AI Accountability Lab focuses on critical issues across broad topics such as the examination of opaque technological ecologies and the execution of audits o...

Many of us will be familiar with voice activated software in devices like smart speakers, but there are so many more possibilities for this technology, including in healthcare. Today we hear about a voice technology companion that will help care for people with mobility-related illnesses at home, allowing them to live independently for longer. We hear how the AI software will help with medication...

With the surge in deep fakes and disinformation we need to be very careful about believing what we see online, particularly in relation to big world events. Today we learn how we can take the power away from deep fakes during election time, when underlying agendas and heightened tensions can cause a rise in disinformation. We also hear how we can increase our personal media literacy, but also the...

This podcast is also available with international sign language and closed captions on YouTube. https://youtu.be/vrvoiYNRpts We live in an Uber digital world, and being able to access online information is an important part of life. Unfortunately, this isn’t always accessible for minority communities, such as the deaf and hard of hearing. Today we learn about the challenges this community faces in...

The AI Act is leading the way as the first-ever legal framework on AI, but what challenges are facing regulators when it comes to adapting to the rapid evolution of this technology, and in bringing tough conversations about its capabilities to the global stage? Today we hear from the architect of the groundbreaking AI Act about ‘The Geopolitics of AI’, where he explains how the EU is positioning i...

When Chat GPT hit the public consciousness just a couple of years ago, we immediately started to see effects in education, with students and teachers alike using Generative AI to support learning. With Gen AI and chatbots advancing at such a rapid pace, their role in education is increasing. At a recent event in Trinity College, called ‘Unlocking the Future of Learning’, we heard a fascinating key...