Entrepreneurs Oonagh O’Reilly and Marie-Claire McGreevy have also worked with the AICC as they develop their business.
They have created Mel, an AI-powered business development platform designed to help accountants and lawyers get better at selling their services and developing new clients.
Oonagh says that AI creates a whole new range of opportunities to start and scale businesses in Northern Ireland.
For McGreevy, collaborating with the AICC helped them understand the nuances of deploying AI safely and sustainably.
“We had our eyes opened to the world of ‘tokenomics’—understanding how much it’s going to cost in the long term to deploy AI within our system, and how to use it strategically.”
The emerging paradox of Northern Ireland’s AI story is becoming clear.
The hardware builders are riding a record-breaking high, but the broader professional services workforce must adapt as AI evolves from a distant technology into an everyday workplace reality.
A spokesperson for the Department for the Economy said AI “presents significant opportunities” for the economy.
“We are working with partners across education, industry and government to support AI capability through a range of initiatives including the £16.3 million Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre, Assured Skills Academies and ensuring wider skills programmes remain responsive to technological change,” they added.
“An AI advisory panel has been established by the economy minister and the department is “working closely with the Office of AI and Digital in The Executive Office on the development of the public sector AI Strategy, which is currently out for consultation”.