ADAPT Radio

AI is developing at such a rapid pace that we can get caught up in its potential capabilities and role in our future. However, there are still a lot of issues to rule out. ADAPT recently hosted the Annual Scientific Conference 2024 in Dublin and today we’re hearing one of the keynote speakers, Abeba Birhane. We learn about the potential dangers of large-scale datasets, such as AI hallucinations an...

How we view the past is very much shaped by the stories we're told about it and AI innovations are helping researchers to enrich our understanding of history. A new project called VOICES is using artificial intelligence to uncover the untold women's experiences of extreme trauma and civil war in early modern Ireland. The project was recently launched at Trinity College Dublin and today we hear fro...

You cannot move an inch these days without encountering takes on the future of AI and technology, and concerns about how it may impact our lives for better or worse. Today we're talking about new ways to approach the ethics of AI and digital technologies and what research is being done to answer the questions and the dilemmas these new technologies raise. Our experts today are from the ADAPT Centr...

The Irish language is an important part of Ireland's culture, but it is a minority language and like many ‘at risk’ languages around the world, Irish needs to be protected. Today we're talking about how AI can help to boost the Irish language and the importance of diverse data collection in building robust translation systems. We also hear how researchers are using natural language processing and...

The pace of change in AI is beyond rapid and it's an exciting time for research in Ireland. Professor John Keller is now leading the way in research as the new director of ADAPT, the SFI Research Center for AI Driven Digital Content Technology. Today we hear about John’s ambitions in his new appointment including his thoughts on current developments in AI, how he plans to lead ADAPT and prepare fo...

In the age of data our private information is currency and we digital trails behind us everywhere we go online. As AI grows in popularity, some fear it may be a threat to our privacy. It’s important we consider how we can best protect ourselves from our valuable information ending up in the wrong hands. Today, in light of Data Privacy Week, we're diving into the week’s theme, ‘Take Control of Your...

One of the most visible areas AI has been in use in the area of translation. Large language models are getting better and better at learning the subtleties and nuances of human speech and becoming more accessible. Do human translators need to be worried? Today we hear a talk on the intricacies of AI translation technology, where it is succeeding and where there is downfall, and why we’re maybe ove...

In the 21st century, we do democracy differently. The internet has opened up new channels of information, meaning that citizens can access and contribute to discussions about policies and governance. Today we find out how AI and big data support democracy in a digital age and what elections might look like in the future. Our experts are designer, artist and strategist and senior design lead with D...

These days it's hard to know what to believe. Misinformation and disinformation are nothing new but AI and social media seem to be driving false information to new levels. Today we hear how experts are working hard to keep up with AI, and how education and awareness are vital to protecting people from harmful information online Our experts today are Associate Professor at Dublin City University, P...

AI systems are developing at such a rapid pace and have sparked questions about how we can control their use and prevent them destroying society. With the AI Act due later this year, we hear from two experts on how regulation, cyber hygiene and digital literacy are key to using AI for its fantastic benefits, while protecting us from the potential dangers it can expose us to. Our guests today have...

Conversations about AI are often future focused, but these emerging technologies can also help us bring the past to life. Today we find out how AI has been used in Beyond 2022, a flagship research project led by Trinity College Dublin which will digitally recreate seven centuries of historical records of the Public Record Office of Ireland destroyed by fire at Dublin’s Four Courts at the beginning...

Since ChatGPT burst into the mainstream late last year, these conversational AI interfaces have been prompting huge discussion about how AI will shape our futures. Today we’re learning how these AI chat bots work and where they can be used to the human advantage. Plus, we hear how they’re redefining intelligence, but not enough to overtake the human mind just yet. Joining us to talk about this tod...

We are in a world where our every move and thought is documented and databases. With that data, future search agents and AI will be able to deliver us deliver hyper-personalised results which are based on everything we have done in the past. It could even use this information to act on our behalf. Joining us to discuss this future are two people who are living it now. Dr Cathal Guerin is an expert...

With more people living even faster lives, our cities need to be smarter, more sustainable and easier to live in. Dublin City Council are running an experiment in D8, using technology to measure everything from traffic movements to rainfall and even how full the bins get. They are using this data to create a ‘digital twin’ of the area and virtualise how changes will improve the quality of life. Fo...

Our everyday lives are surrounded with everyday objects which have the ability to monitor, track and record everything we do. But what are the roles that AI, machine learning and government play in this gathering of surveillance data. Sharing his considerable knowledge in the area is Professor David Lyon, who presented a fascinating seminar on this topic at the Adapt Centre. TOPICS HE DISCUSSED IN...

Our health is one of our greatest assets, and it has many interconnected parts, including our mental health and the environment in which we live. How can artificial intelligence enable us to engage more with our mental health and environment, and help researchers better understand how to protect both? Helping us discover the answers is Claire Gillan, whose lab is developing new approaches to study...

How do smart speakers, phones and connected devices understand what we're saying? This month we look at how the interaction between machines and our voices works now and how can we build even more intelligent systems for complex interaction in the future. With the answers, we have Dr Giovanni di Liberto, who researches human perception and Dr Andrea Patane, whose work is on what happens when machi...

Chat GPT has taken the AI world by storm as a bot that can generate text in conversational human style. So does this spell the end of students spending hours on homework or college assignments? What does the future hold for this type of generative AI? Dr Robert Ross (School of Computing at TUD) and Dr. Benjamin Cowan (Associate Professor UCD) explain the pro’s and con’s of the AI and what the futu...

From wearable devices to digital hospitals, modelling disease patterns to training medical professionals - AI is having a transformative impact on healthcare. But the challenge remains to develop and deploy innovative and agile solutions that can unlock the data needed for precision medicine. Where exactly are we with this technology? What is its potential and what dangers do we need to safeguard...

From crypto-currencies to challenger banks, and mortgage lending to managing risk, AI has profoundly changed finance and how we interact with money. With disruptors and innovators constantly raising the bar, what does the future hold and how can we mitigate against the risks posed by such rapidly evolving technology? And quite apart from the tech giants, how can ordinary people utilise AI in a way...

The movies we’ve grown up watching have made quite the impression on our lives and how we think about AI. From the exciting prospect of flying cars in Back to the Future, to the grim post-apocalyptic landscape of Mad Max. What’s closer to the truth in our near future? For instance, we’ve recently seen ABBA launch a ‘hologram’ tour and Mark Zuckerberg enter the metaverse. What else can we expect fr...

As AI becomes more embedded in our lives, how do we ensure that we trust it? How can we be confident that safety has been built into the systems we use every day, like Facial Recognition Technology? Professor Vincent Wade, CEO of the SFI Adapt Centre at Trinity College Dublin, discusses his research focusing on privacy-enabling AI and empowering personalisation. The Adapt Centre is at the forefron...

Speech technology is life-changing. It can literally give voice to someone who has lost theirs through illness. Or it can be misused for malign purposes like the creation of ‘deep fakes.’ The ADAPT Centre is at the forefront of designing mathematical algorithms to enhance speech communication between humans and technology. Professor Naomi Harte’s work is underpinned by signal processing and machin...

How do we create global standards for AI so we can mitigate against harms like disinformation? How do we prevent AI from perpetuating human biases? Meet Professor Dave Lewis, who is at the forefront of developing international standards for trustworthy AI. The EU is the first major regulator anywhere in the world to be drafting legislation governing the use of AI, and The ADAPT Centre at Trinity C...

Computer technologies are constantly advancing, remember when we thought landlines were as good as it could get? fast forward to today where smartphones are the standard for most. But how much further can we take things? Could we one day have computers who see and act like humans? Joining us today is Prof. Rozenn Dahyot, an expert in the field of computer technologies. Rozenn explains to us the di...