The Irish Tech News Podcast

In this podcast, Melanie Boylan and Matt Burgess, the Deputy Editor of WIRED UK discuss his latest book called "How Machine Learning Will Shape the next Decade" and the values and ethics that currently underpin AI and Machine Learning.  Hear the examples that Matt gives and whose responsibility AI should be in this easy-to-follow, yet in-depth debate. Matt Burgess is the deputy digital editor at WIRED, covering cybersecurity, big tech, and everything in-between. He was written two previous books: a short biography of Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings and a guide, aimed at journalists, to the UK's Freedom of Information Act.

Raki Brown, Director of Corporate Comic …on grownup Comics, Super Heroes, Marketing, Blockchain and NFTs Actually, corporate comics are the opposite of grownup comics. It’s all about inviting grownups to become childlike when expressing their dreams, not dumbing down to adult humour in graphics. “As a result, it becomes aspirational, innovative and inspiring. We can also turn people into superheroes which in turn allows them to showcase the wonderful elements of their companies.” Corporate comics has even hired a futurist to work on this project. “When you ask a company to look at itself as a cartoon or a strip it totally changes how they see themselves and allows for new vision. It also brings new ideas, narrative and exciting interpretation of the product and company.” As soon as Raki and his team bring in their ideas, the client tends to get really excited and often this leads to much more exciting conversations about the company. Compared with mundane marketing methods of brands, logos and text, it’s easy to see how clients can become very enthusiastic. Raki also creates superheroes or characters for key people within their client. His first job is to tell them to ignore what they do and concentrate on what they believe in and what their passion is. “And we also look at their own personal kryptonite – that can be very powerful in terms of narrative.” Interestingly, creating a superhero can often inspire the CEO to do more superhero activities – one leads the other. Comics are also important for GenZ and the Zoomers – attention span is limited and this audience is used to absorbing content in a different way. “If you don’t talk their language then you are going to lose them.” The fast paced world means that people may look at video for a few seconds – typically with the sound off, or may look at a picture, without or without reading the text below – but with a comic complex ideas can be communicated in a single strip or even screen. Stories can be understood in a split second – which is all anyone has these days to attract eyeballs. First comics then NFTs – they are in the process of building a metaverse with compelling comic strip story lines. Who would not want to be part of that process? To find out more, visit corporatecomics.io This episoode was hosted by Jillian Godsil, award winning journalist, broadcaster and author. Find out more about her latest book at https://persons-of-interest.io/

We catch up with  Darach Ó Murchú to learn more about his new documentary exploring the power of nature and also the challenges that it has faced in Ireland during the Covid-19 pandemic. Cumhacht an Nádúir is a new two-part documentary for TG4 that looks at the solace nature has offered during this pandemic and how it may fuel the debate for a broader range of wildlife habitat and land management. A positive consequence of the coronavirus is the way in which it has led many of us to value and explore our natural surroundings. Access to wilderness areas, coastlines and parklands has provided much needed solace during this pandemic. In this two-part documentary, Cumhacht an Nádúir, we find out if this greater awareness has been of any benefit to wildlife, and whether a greater natural balance can emerge from the lockdown experience. What happens when sites fall strangely and beautifully silent, when nature is given a chance to breathe and to revive? Has this twelve-month period implanted a greater need to protect and expand our wilderness areas? In the hands of presenter Darach Ó Murchú, an environmental educator who was given permission to travel outside of his own restricted area, we visit some of Ireland’s most celebrated destinations and tourist sites: Malin Head, the Blaskets, Glendalough, and Garnish Island, as well as community spaces and local areas of beauty. We capture these locations during a near total absence of visitors and we consider how wildlife has behaved in their absence. Post-lockdown, we return to evaluate how these landscapes could be better managed in the crucial years ahead.

Interesting conversation with Kieran McCorry, National Technology Officer, Microsoft Ireland, we look at recent working trends, security research, trust in cloud and how workforces have had to adapt during Covid-19 Kieran McCorry is the National Technology Officer for Microsoft in Ireland and has worked in the technology industry for over 29 years. He is responsible for representing Microsoft to broad audiences in Ireland covering technology leadership, AI, trust, technology vision, strategic alignment, and policy. He has worked across many sectors of the technology landscape including those of collaboration, social media, analytics, mobility, privacy, the Internet of Things, innovation, digital transformation, and intellectual property development. He is a frequent speaker at worldwide conferences and has been a regular contributor to various industry publications. He is the author of four books on messaging technology and holds several patents as well as a variety of undergraduate and post-graduate degrees in Computer Science, Law, and Corporate Governance and Public Policy. He is also a Fellow of the Irish Computer Society. Follow Kieran on Twitter here https://twitter.com/MSIrelandNTO

When you have had a diverse career that takes you from chartered accountant to entrepreneur to author and now mentor and advisor to dynamic owner-managed businesses. What do you next? Well if you are Guy Rigby, you take part in the world’s toughest row, the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. A challenge that will take Guy more than 3000 Miles west from San Sebastian in La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain (28oN 18oW) to Nelson’s Dockyard, English Harbour, Antigua & Barbuda (17oN 61oW). Ronan talks to Guy about his background, his most notable achievements, the book he wrote on entrepreneurship, and people exiting businesses too soon. Guy also talks about startup entrepreneurs, the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge that he is taking part in, and the money he opens to raise. More about Guy: Guy Rigby is a chartered accountant and an entrepreneur, who built and sold his own accountancy firm. He has pursued other commercial interests, has been a director and part-owner of a number of different ventures, including businesses in the IT, property, defence, manufacturing, and retail sectors. He is now an adviser and mentor to many entrepreneurial businesses and their owners. To find out more about Guy’s Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge please click here.

Interesting and lively conversation with Dr Jacqui Taylor More about  Dr Jacqui Taylor One of the 20 most powerful UK entrepreneurs, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science in recognition of her international web science work on inclusion. One of the 250 Founders of Tech City, in 2016 she pivoted her company FlyingBinary to meet the challenge of Brexit and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) with spectacular results. She was recognised as one of the 100 Global Leaders in 2019, Top Ten Global IoT innovators, and is an independent industry analyst for IIoT. An Expert Advisor to the European Commission in a Fire-Starter role for the Future Digital Economy, with specific responsibilities for innovation and improving the health and well being outcomes for 450 million citizens. One of the UK’s most influential Women in Tech, most influential UK web scientist in 2020, 34 IoT Influencers on Twitter, 20 global entrepreneurs to watch, and a UK Smart City leader. Shortlisted for a Cyber Security industry award she was invited to speak in Davos on the future of the Cyber Security Industry. Globally recognised as the world’s first Smart City Tzar, and a strategic Advisor to the UK Government, Cities lead on Digital Built Britain, Principal UK Expert lead for BSI international team for Technology, Data, Smart Cities and AI. She is an Expert Adviser to the G20 members on the Future Digital Economies and an Expert Advisor to the United Nations for the UN 2030 plan. She founded the Empathy Economy to share the secrets of her global success plan with entrepreneurs via a unique membership offering. The Empathy Economy Online launches in 2021 now the UK has exited from the European Union. It will give entrepreneurs resources to meet the challenges of a post Isolation Economy and transition them to grow their companies in the IIoT  LinkedIn   : https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jacqui-taylor/ Twitter      : @jacquitaylorfb Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1332464865 Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/Jacqui.Online Clubhouse: @drjacqui

In this podcast Melanie Boylan spoke with James Temperton about his new book called The Future of Medicine.  Why did this book need to be written and what difference can it make to those that read it?  Listen in and learn about the advances mentioned in the book and hear James briefly touch on the lives impacted by them. James Temperton is the digital editor at WIRED UK. As well as leading the title's digital strategy, he also reports regularly on the gig economy and the scourge of online disinformation. James is host of WIRED's award-winning weekly podcast.

In this Podcast Melanie Boylan spoke to Elma Beganovich about using Influencer Marketing for your business. Elma and her sister have had tremendous success with their agency and made Influencer Marketing a "thing" even before Facebook was around. Grab her tips today and learn more about this to apply to your own strategy or speak to them at A&E Digital (https://www.amraandelma.com/) Ms. Elma Beganovich is a digital marketing authority who has been named by Forbes as "Epicenter of Influence" and credited by Yahoo News as the driving force behind her "digital empire - A&E." She is one of the top U.S. influencers with over 1M followers on social media. Ms. Beganovich is the COO and co-founder of A&E, digital agency, and she is in charge of building the company’s list of world renowned partners and clients, including EssilorLuxottica, Huawei, Johnson & Johnson, Nestle, LVMH, Procter & Gamble and Uber . Her area of expertise includes PR , she is responsible for hundreds of top media news placements, such as Time, Washington Post, Inc., Wired, USA Today, and Fast Company, media buying has secured millions of eyeballs for industry leaders and Fortune 500 brands, and digital strategy, she devises and leads integrated marketing efforts for brands like Bvlgari. A&E is a digital agency founded by two mega influencers, Amra Beganovich & Elma Beganovich, with over 2.2 million social followers, that specializes in ad buying, influencer marketing, social media management, Google organic and paid search and creative services. A&E's client portfolio includes Fortune 500 brands and some of the world's most notable companies including Essilor Luxottica, Huawei, Johnson & Johnson , Nestle, LVMH, Procter & Gamble, and Uber . A&E has been credited by Yahoo News as having built a "digital marketing empire" by driving millions of eyeballs towards their customer's products. A&E ranks #1 on Google for some of the most competitive keywords in digital marketing, including "beauty influencers," "top gaming influencers," "top tech influencers in 2020," and more. A&E and its founders have been extensively profiled by some of the most prominent media, including NASDAQ, Bloomberg Television, Financial Times, Forbes and CNBC.

We catch up with  Bianca Nogrady, author of a new book published by Penguin Random House and Wired UK, that looks at the challenges and opportunities we are facing to deal with Climate Change. Climate Change: how we can get to carbon zero by Bianca Nogrady, published 25 March 2021 Man-made global warming is advancing inexorably. Are there ways to halt it? In this invaluable, one-stop guide Bianca Nogrady analyses the science of climate change and offers a concise overview of the ways in which our carbon emissions might be reduced. She examines the challenges posed by food and energy production and the cutting-edge technologies that could mitigate their polluting effects. She looks at initiatives to create green industry and transport. She explains the economics of emissions trading schemes and the practicalities of geoengineering plans to trap greenhouse gases. And she addresses the fundamental question: is it possible to safeguard our future before it's too late? Bianca Nogrady is an Australian freelance science journalist, author and broadcaster. In more than a decade of freelance reporting, her work has appeared in outlets including The Atlantic, Wired UK, The Guardian, Undark, MIT Technology Review, Nature, Scientific American, the ABC, and BBC. Her latest book Climate Change: How We Get To Carbon Zero, is published by Wired UK and Penguin Random House. She is also author of The End: The Human Experience Of Death, editor of the 2019 and 2015 Best Australian Science Writing anthologies, and co-author of The Sixth Wave: How To Succeed In A Resource-Limited World. My website is www.biancanogrady.com, Twitter is @biancanogrady

Jamil catches up with Jonny Fry to learn more about his passion for blockchain and what he is currently working on. Jonny Fry, co-founder and CEO of TeamBlockchain Ltd, is a Blockchain, Digital Assets and funds specialist. He founded, and was the CEO for over 20 years, of Premier Asset Management Plc, a mutual fund company which he floated on the London Stock Exchange. His recent focus has been on the dynamics of financial innovation, advising organisations on how Blockchain and Digital Assets are being used commercially. He works closely with a number of professional firms, such as accountants and lawyers, advising their clients on corporate strategy and adoption of Blockchain technology. Jonny gives 20+ hours of his time weekly to research and write, an analysis of some of the developments in the Blockchain and Digital Asset sectors. This analysis, called Digital Bytes is used globally by a variety of professional advisors, corporate brokers, accountants, lawyers, business schools, universities, trade bodies and corporations and forms the basis of the Digital Bytes show on Blockchain radio which is broadcasted to over 140 countries. He is Non-Executive Chairman of Gemini Investment Management Ltd, which owns a Dublin-based fund hosting platform, regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. As Co-founder of The British Blockchain Frontier Technology Association (BBFTA). He is an advisor for several companies helping them with their strategic growth and managing corporate and reputational risk. About Jamil Hasan Jamil Hasan is a Generation X Author and experienced data intelligence technology builder with two decades of experience leading data-based teams at Fortune 100 companies, including AIG, Prudential Financial, and Ingersoll Rand. Jamil believes that skill and experience, not just age, is the most important factor required to build and lead corporate organizations. His unique story, as someone on the ground floor of the 2008 financial crisis and his role to help repay the $180 billion AIG bailout, enabled him to come face-to-face with many of the societal ills facing Generation X today and their causes. As the result of his experience, Jamil has developed a path forward for his fellow Gen Xers to restore his generation’s financial standing in society today and to rebuild the American Dream for Generation X.