Panel reveals AI success stories

Practical examples of how artificial intelligence is transforming businesses across the North East took centre stage during a lively panel discussion at the AI Works for Ireland conference in Monaghan last week.

The discussion, held at the Peace Campus and chaired by Head of Enterprise at Local Enterprise Office Monaghan Pamela Kerr, brought together entrepreneurs from Monaghan, Cavan, Meath and Donegal to share their experiences of adopting AI and digital technologies.

Among the panellists was Monaghan entrepreneur Neill Dunwoody, co-founder of healthcare technology company SPRYT, whose AI-powered platform is helping healthcare providers tackle administrative challenges.

Explaining the concept, Mr Dunwoody said SPRYT acts as a virtual medical receptionist, enabling patients to book and pay for appointments through messaging services.

“We have no app. So we exist on WhatsApp and SMS… We’re also fully conversational,” he said.

The system is capable of communicating in more than 160 languages and can predict when patients are likely to miss appointments.

Mr Dunwoody explained that behavioural science and generative AI are used to tailor communications for different groups, helping improve both access and attendance.

“We are an AI first company. The biggest problems in healthcare tend to stem from administration. We do everything: appointments, transport, diagnosis and imaging,” he said.

However, he acknowledged that developing a reliable AI product had not been without difficulties. Early versions of the company's Adaptive Scheduling Agent often produced answers that were not always accurate. It required extensive testing and refinement before deployment.

Also speaking on the panel was Ruth Tidy-King, director of Cavan-based CICS SiloClean Ltd, a family business established by her father more than 50 years ago.

“We offer industrial silo cleaning to companies around the country. We also have an office cleaning division,” she told attendees.

Ms Tidy-King said AI has become a valuable tool within the business, assisting with administrative tasks such as drafting emails, preparing documentation and updating staff procedures.

While there was some initial reluctance among staff unfamiliar with the technology, she said confidence had grown significantly over time.

“You need the human being to be there to review it. You need to read over what it spits out, because it can spit out anything. But it's a good tool. I think the staff have really embraced it and they're using it on a daily basis.”

Ms Tidy-King also spoke about the challenges of using AI, stressing the need to check its accuracy and be specific in prompts. She encouraged people to start small, noting that her own first experiment was asking AI what to make for dinner from the contents of her fridge.

All four panellists were high in their praise of their Local Enterprise Offices and couldn’t recommend their services enough.

The discussion also featured contributions from Rebecca Maguire of Púróga Pebble Art and Phil Graham of Secora Consulting. All four panellists praised the support available through their Local Enterprise Offices, encouraging businesses to explore the opportunities AI can offer.