Author: Jim O Brien/CEO

CEO and expert in transport and Mobile tech. A fan 20 years, mobile consultant, Nokia Mobile expert, Former Nokia/Microsoft VIP,Multiple forum tech supporter with worldwide top ranking,Working in the background on mobile technology, Weekly radio show, Featured on the RTE consumer show, Cavan TV and on TRT WORLD. Award winning Technology reviewer and blogger. Security and logisitcs Professional.

How AI Will Affect the Future of Work

AI is revolutionizing the way that people work. Many industries are no longer hiring physical staff. Instead, they are using AI to complete administrative and even physical tasks. For many people, this is very problematic, The use of AI is resulting in millions of people losing their jobs. Millions more are also predicted to lose their jobs in the coming years. On the other hand, however, AI is helping businesses to save a lot of money, which allows them to then invest in other areas, and deliver more quality services.

This article will explore this topic in greater detail, explaining how AI will affect the future of work:

 

Accuracy

One of the main ways that AI will change the future of work is because it produces very reliable and accurate data. With more accurate data and information, companies are better able to target customers and tailor products to them. Many would argue that data accuracy is one of the main advantages of using artificial intelligence because it helps businesses to deliver better services. The data compilation and production skills of AI far exceed that of an ordinary human being. AI also compiles data a lot faster.

Unemployment

Unfortunately, the integration of AI will result in widespread unemployment. For individual workers, this is a big problem, but for companies this is good. The primary reason that the integration of AI will benefit companies is that it will result in them saving a lot of money. Companies will no longer have to pay the wages of full-time staff. For very large companies, removing staff and hiring AI could result in them saving millions of dollars. Massive unemployment, on the other hand, will be very bad for the global economy. The impact that AI will have is yet to be understood properly.

Productivity

AI is a lot more productive than physical workers because it is entirely automated and doesn’t get tired. This is a large reason why AI will take the jobs of normal people. AI can also work a lot faster. Because AI never gets tired, it can be left on to run 24/7. It is illegal to force one’s staff to work for such long hours. Businesses that have multiple AI bots working can then leave them running permanently, with no breaks, meaning that their productivity increases by over 100%.

Profitability

With greater productivity and data accuracy, businesses are able to increase their overall profitability. Profitability is the main metric by which businesses are measured. If a business is not profitable, then it can’t survive. AI can significantly boost profitability, in businesses from a variety of different industries. Greater profitability also means that businesses can invest in other areas of their businesses, improving and streamlining important functions. Because businesses will save a lot of money by integrating AI and will earn more money, there will be a lot more money to be invested, therefore significantly proving the way that businesses run and are managed.

Resources

By integrating AI into their daily operations, businesses are able to free up resources. If businesses choose to keep staff whose jobs have been taken over by AI, then they can move them to other departments and focus on streamlining tasks. Currently, the main tasks completed by AI are administrative in nature. Administrative tasks can be very time-consuming. Staff no longer having to complete administrative work can save the companies that they work for a lot of time (and therefore money). More disposable resources mean that businesses can improve the services that they offer.

Flexibility

The use of AI means businesses are able to be more flexible. Because staff will no longer be responsible for completing time-consuming administrative tasks, they will be able to be assigned to complete other more important tasks on short notice. Flexibility is a very important thing for businesses to cultivate. If a business isn’t flexible, then it won’t be able to adapt and change according to consumer demands. The business world is constantly evolving. With more and more technology being released, businesses need to stay ahead, which AI can help them to do. Improved flexibility means a better working culture, better company, and more profits.

Personalization

AI can be used to personalize the consumer journey. The main way that it does this is by anticipating what a customer’s next step is. By anticipating a customer’s next step, AI is able to deliver a high-quality and efficient service. When customers are shopping on your website, they sometimes need a small push to get them to complete a sale. AI can help to give them this push. AI can send them reminders, emails, and notifications, in addition to offering them discounts for shopping with you. AI personalization is one of the most popular trends in online sales, at the moment.

Skills

When you hire a person to complete a task, their skills are limited. This is not the case with AI. The reason for this is that AI can be customized, according to what needs to be done. All a programmer needs to do is to alter an AI’s code to change its function. This essentially gives you access to workers with infinite skills and capabilities. The possibilities of this are endless. Businesses can use AI for marketing, sales, and product development. The myriad skills of AI are in part why so many people are being made unemployed.

 

Occupations

While AI is causing people to lose jobs, it is also creating jobs. There is a huge demand for AI programmers and handlers, at the moment. If you are looking for a job in an emerging industry, then learning about the production and management of AI software is something that you might want to consider. Because AI is taking over administrative tasks, it is also creating jobs in more specialized fields. The jobs that AI is creating are usually offered as ‘home working’ positions, which is great for people that have children or just don’t want to commute into an office every day.

AI will (and already has) significantly change the way that we work. That’s not a bad thing, though. While people will be made unemployed, jobs will still be created. AI will save businesses millions and allow them to deliver better services.

What to Look for in a Slot Machine

When deciding which online casino to use, you shouldn’t just sign up for the first you come across and jump into any game. Although the most significant element in any slot machine style game is luck, there are several things you can do to educate yourself about how the process works to give you the best chance of winning and maximising your profits. Below we look at three things you should look for when deciding which slot machine games to play online.

Start by finding out the RTP of the game you want to play. 

When visiting a gambling website for the first time, you should find out what the Return to Player (RTP) Percentage is on any game you decide to play. The RTP is basically an indication of how likely you are to win, as it tells you what percentage of the money goes to the online casino and what percentage will be paid out to customers. You can use a site like Poker News to help you find out the RTP of a particular game, and then decide whether you’re happy with the RTP. As a rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to avoid slots with an RTP percentage lower than 95%.

Match the slot volatility with your playing preferences. 

Do you like to gamble with small amounts of money for an extended period of time? Or do you prefer going all out with a couple of lavish bets? Either way is fine, just make sure you understand the slot machine’s volatility that you’re playing. Low volatility slots have higher chances of winning, and it’s easier to strike winning combinations, but they pay out significantly less than other slots. On the other hand, high volatility slots offer lower chances of winning, but you stand to win more money playing these games with the right bankroll and strategy.

Research the casino’s bonus features. 

Bonus features are an essential part of any online casino offer. One of the first things you should look for in an online provider is the bonuses and sign up offers available on the site. The most common type of bonus in online slot games comes in the form of free spins, and to discover the best offers at a particular time you can utilise a comparison site such as Topbettingsites.ie to help you learn of the top offers currently available online.

In addition to free spins, many slots also incorporate wild symbols within their games. Wilds come in and replace other symbols and essentially give you much better odds of winning. Sites offer different types of wilds, including random, sticky, and moving symbols, each of which is utilised differently. Whenever they appear, they’re a welcome bonus for players, as they often help to change your run of fortune.

Overall, with so many slot games to choose from, you should conduct some research before signing up to a site. If you understand the RTP, volatility, and bonus features of a particular game, you have a better chance of winning and maximising your profits.

 

Irish Advantage – Ireland’s opportunity to becoming a global leader in cyber security by 2030

A recent report conducted by Cyber Ireland and Cyber Skills, which is the first of its kind in Ireland, has found that there is an opportunity to position Ireland as a global leader in cyber security and to grow the workforce to over 17,000 by 2030.   These are among the findings of the report which identified 489 cyber security companies operating across Ireland that employ cyber security teams.

Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy, Mr Ossian Smyth, addressed the report “There have been several significant cyber security incidents in the past number of years, including the incident affecting the HSE in May of last year. I welcome the collaboration between Cyber Ireland and Cyber Skills on The State of the Cyber Security Sector report in Ireland. These findings will be key in developing our ambitious targets to support future growth and development of the cyber security sector in the years ahead.”

Cluster Manager of Cyber Ireland, Dr Eoin Byrne stated “This report shows the size and scale of the cyber security sector, critical to our economy and society, which employs 7,300 professionals and contributes €1.1bn in Gross Value Added (GVA) per annum. Cyber security is a rapidly growing industry, and we have the potential in Ireland to grow this industry to 17,000 jobs and €2.5bn in annual GVA by 2030, with the right business supports and measures.”

While the findings of the report confirmed that 83% of businesses expect their cyber security team to grow over the next twelve months, 61% have noted a recruitment, training and retention issue, such as a lack of candidates in the labour market with the appropriate skill level (41%),  lack of non-technical skills (22%), or unaffordable salaries (21%). Access to training and education is essential in the industry to ensure demand for skills does not outweigh supply.

Professor Donna O’Shea, Chair of Cybersecurity at Munster Technological University (MTU), added “The opportunity for Ireland to grow and develop the cyber security sector to 17,000 professionals, is dependent on a supply of suitably qualified individuals. The HEA Cyber Skills initiative aims to address the challenge of talent and skills, by reducing barriers to participation in the industry, upskilling and reskilling professionals making them industry ready upon completion of their courses. This is done with expertise drawn from top industry leaders and collaboration within the scientific community”

Investment in cyber security firms hit record levels in 2021 of over $20b globally, and over the past 5 years 20 Irish cyber security firms raised over €110m in external investment to fund expansion and growth in operations.  However, it was found that 26% of businesses that responded have faced issues with raising or securing finance. Quick access to investors is essential for funding, development, competition, connections & access to markets and Irish cyber security start-ups require this funding to scale their business rapidly to meet the demands of the market.

VC funding to Irish tech firms grew by 52% to almost €380m in 1st qr

Venture capital funding into Irish technology firms increased by 52% to €379.7m in the first quarter of this year, compared to €249.4m in same period last year, according to the Irish Venture Capital Association VenturePulse survey published today in association with William Fry.

But chairperson of the Irish Venture Capital Association, Nicola McClafferty, said that the headline figure concealed a “potentially worrying fall” of 30%-50% across all categories under €10m, including seed funding. The number of deals overall fell by almost a third to 50 from 74 in the same period last year.

“All the growth came from eight deals worth over €10m each, including three over €30m. While the momentum carried over from last year has continued for more established companies raising large rounds, some of that impetus seems to have stalled for earlier stage companies.” 

She added, “The venture industry worldwide saw a slowdown in the first quarter as a result of an uncertain global economic outlook and the war in Ukraine. While challenging market conditions may continue, we also know that many great companies are started and built in times of downturn, so we await with interest the data in the coming quarters.” 

The value of deals between €5-€10m fell by 51% to €11m.  Deals in the €1-€5m also halved to €34.5m from €70.3m in the same period last year. Deals under €1m dropped by 31% to €8.9m.

 

Sarah-Jane Larkin, director general, IVCA said that 79% of funding came from international sources in the first quarter. “While this is to be welcomed and emphasises the quality of Irish tech firms and their appeal to international investors, we have expressed concern before about where any shortfall would be made up if the global economy contracts.” 

She pointed out that seed funding in the first quarter had fallen by nearly 40% to €22.3m from €36.5m in the previous year. “So the Government’s announcement in February of a new €90 million Irish Innovation Seed Fund Programme for Irish start-ups is particularly timely.” 

Top deals in the first quarter were two Irish unicorns, fintech company Wayflyer which raised €134m, and digital food ordering platform Flipdish (€94m). Envirotech company Exergyn raised €32.7m.

Tech Review – Tronsmart Trip Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker

The Tronsmart Trip is the latest bluetooth speaker on offer from the brand that delivers great tech at affordable prices and with the Summer coming in now is a time to check your tech stash and see if you have a speaker you can take to the beach or pool and not worry about it getting damaged and not only that delivering a decent sound too.

This speaker by no means is big and is portable which is ideal for most and not a cumbersome load to add to your travel bag heading to a picnic or park and so on, and you can see more of this in the unboxing below before we give a full hands on review and get some audio samples too..

The speaker itself has a big Tronsmart logo splashed across the front which stands out and it is not like the company to do so but it looks well and the lettering is raised and made of rubber, this matches the control keys up top which are again raised for easy to use functionality and work well, you can also use your mobile phone to control the speaker if you like you can skip and reverse tracks, play and pause music and take calls on the speaker too which is quite handy.

When it comes to sound there is a decent punch out of the speaker for its size, placing on a solid surface gives better results buy you can hang it if you like with the braided rope attached to one side, there is rubber feet on the underside which keeps it still and it never budged for me testing at max volume.

On the rear is where the ports rest and covered with a rubber flap to keep it safe from water and dirt, there is no sd card expansion on on offer here for those who like to carry them with them but no huge deal, pairing is super fast with Bluetooth 5.3 and if you have two of these you can pair them up which would be a super sounding set up and not expensive.

The speaker comes in a range of colours too which is great and better than the standard offerings we usually see at launch and there is one something for everyone here,battery life is a bit on the poor side with 20 hours having said that you will easily get a few days on one charge or it will last through the night if you are having a late one, there is a nice material finish on the speaker too and does not look like heavy maintenance to keep it clean either, the speaker is light too and overall a decent sounding speaker for its size and packs a decent punch on max volume and will fill a good sized room indoors too.

  • SoundPulse® Technology.
  • Up to 20 Hours of Playtime.
  • IPX7 Waterproof.
  • TrueWireless Stereo Pairing.
  • Built-in Microphone.

BUY

Video

 

Waystone to create up to 100 new roles in Co. Tipperary as its expansion continues

Waystone, the leading provider of institutional governance, risk, administration and compliance services to the asset management industry, announced today that it is to substantially increase its Ireland-based workforce by creating up to 100 additional new roles in Cashel, Co. Tipperary, following its recent growth.

The newly created Cashel-based roles will span global operations and support functions with services including KYC & MLRO, Regulatory Reporting, Tax Reporting, Fund Registration, Corporate Secretarial, People & Development, Finance, Operational Risk, Compliance Services, Fund Administration, Relationship Management, Project Management, Client Onboarding and Corporate Solutions. The Cashel operation is central to the evolution of the Waystone Group and will continue to grow and deliver operational scale while continually attracting and developing talent from across the region. This announcement reflects Waystone’s significant growth over the past year and the broadening of its service offering including the launch of Waystone Compliance Solutions and its recent agreements with KB Associates and Centaur Fund Services, both of whom are headquartered in Ireland.

This project is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

Welcoming Waystone’s announcement, Minister for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Robert Troy TD, said: “I am delighted that Waystone plans to create up to 100 new roles at its Cashel site over the next 18 months. These additional jobs will be a welcome boost to Co. Tipperary and will increase the Cashel headcount to nearly 200 employees. The successful growth that Waystone has experienced in recent years is reflective of the wealth of highly skilled and talented people that the Mid-West region and Ireland more broadly has to offer. I wish the team every continued success in this new chapter.”

Minister of State at the Department of Finance Sean Fleming TD said: “I am delighted to welcome this expansion by Waystone which is an important endorsement for growing regional international financial services operations, which is a priority of our Ireland for Finance strategy. I wish the firm well in the next stage of their development plans and I hope their success in Cashel will encourage further investment in the regions by international financial services firms.”

Waystone recently re-opened its operation in Cashel following an extensive refurbishment and expansion project with the addition of 4,500 sq ft of space, bringing its total floor space to 11,000 sq ft. The project included a significant upgrade of facilities and branding throughout and is designed to accommodate its growing staff numbers with a view to the job creation announced today. Over the next 18 months the new roles will bring Waystone’s headcount in Cashel to approaching 200.

Nick Wheeler, Global Head of Centralisation at Waystone, comments, “Ireland has a strong and globally-recognised international funds and financial services industry with a wealth of highly-skilled professionals and we are delighted to be able to continue our expansion in Tipperary with the announcement of up to 100 new roles covering a wide array of financial services disciplines.  Waystone’s Cashel-based operation is central to the Group’s international growth strategy and the quality of people we have employed has made our commitment and growth in Tipperary a very easy decision. Our Cashel operation reopened last month following a 4,500 sq ft expansion and refurbishment providing us with significant room for future growth.  The facility now provides our growing workforce with a high-grade, flexible workspace and feedback from staff has been extremely positive.”

Earlier this month, Waystone announced that its Dublin headquarters would be moving to a new flagship location in Dublin 4 later this year, where it will occupy four floors and 52,000 sq ft of space in the prestigious 35 Shelbourne Road development.  Waystone now has a presence in three locations in Ireland; its headquarters in Dublin, a Centre of Excellence in Cashel and more recently, Maynooth, following its agreement to come together with Centaur Fund Services.

CEO of IDA Ireland Martin Shanahan said: “Today’s announcement by Waystone for its Cashel expansion – its second site in Ireland – is very welcome news.  Cashel is an excellent location to scale a financial services company and Waystone’s presence strengthens an already well-established IFS cluster Mid-West.  I wish to congratulate Waystone on this terrific announcement and wish them every success with this expansion.”

Urbanista Wins Red Dot And iF Design Awards With The Urbanista Los Angeles, The world’s first solar-powered headphones.headpon

Urbanista the Swedish lifestyle audio brand, is proud to announce that it is the winner of this year’s iF DESIGN AWARD and Red Dot ‘Best of the Best’: Product Design Award. In 2021, the brand launched the world’s first solar- powered wireless
headphones that are set to revolutionise the audio industry. Urbanista Los Angeles has also recently been listed in the consumer products category for Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas 2022 Awards.

Red Dot ‘Best of the Best’ Product Design Award 2022

This year, Urbanista Los Angeles solar- powered headphones have been awarded with the Red Dot ‘Best of the Best’ Product Design Award. Designers, design offices and manufacturers from around 60 countries entered their products in 2022. The Red Dot Jury made of 48 international members has evaluated almost 20,000 products “in search of good design and innovation”. Only those products that won over the experts with their outstanding design quality won a distinction. With
Urbanista Los Angeles, Urbanista sets a new standard in the design industry.

iF DESIGN AWARD 2022

Urbanista Los Angeles Solar – Powered Headphones, won in the product discipline and audio category in the iF DESIGN AWARD 2022. Each year, the world’s oldest independent design organisation, Hannover- based, iF International Forum Design
GmbH, organises the iF DESIGN AWARD. Urbanista Los Angeles won over the 132 member jury, made up of independent
experts from all over the world, with its revolutionary technology that converts light into energy for a nonstop audio experience.

iF design award
Red dot award

The competition was intense: almost 11,000 entries were submitted from 57 countries in hopes of receiving the seal of
quality. Anders Andreen, CEO at Urbanista, comments: “We are honoured that a product like Los Angeles keeps winning
awards. These headphones are an advancement in technology that our industry has been waiting for and we at Urbanista are proud to deliver this groundbreaking technology to the market. Solar- powered technology will be at the forefront of audio technology for the foreseeable future and we are excited to drive this advancement in the audio space.”

See our full hands on review of the Multi Award Winning headphones and see how they work for yourself, this is super cool technology and the future of what is to come.

Video Review

Online Gambling Laws in Ireland: An Exploration

From Europe to Asia, online gambling has become a major force around the world. 

  • 24 percent of adults have gambled online in the last 4 weeks
  • 4.2 billion people gamble at least once a year 

Ireland is no exception when it comes to online gambling. In Ireland, online gambling has become a much-loved pastime, with many people having it as a hobby. Whether it’s a weekday or the weekend, online gambling is a big hit with Irish people. 

However, this raises an important question: what are the online gambling laws in Ireland? Below is a very brief guide for what you need to know regarding online gambling in Ireland. 

Yes – online gambling is legal in Ireland 

Firstly, it’s important to establish that online gambling is legal. However, websites and apps must abide by several different rules:

  • They must hold a valid Irish gambling licence or a remote gambling licence supplied by a respected authority (such as the UK Gambling Commission) 
  • Players must be over 18. If gambling apps or websites were to encourage under 18 users to join them, this would be breaking the law! 

So, if you live in Ireland and are over the age of 18, you’re perfectly within your rights to gamble online as long as you use an official website or app, so have a look for a real money slots app. Make sure to explore the internet and find which websites and games appeal to you the most. 

Gambling tax in Ireland is 1% 

This might come as a surprise to the reader, but the gambling tax in Ireland is 1% – the lowest gambling tax rate in the entire EU! This is great news for players and the gambling companies, as it encourages more people to try gambling online. 

Is online gambling legal throughout the EU? 

As an Irish person, you might travel abroad during holiday seasons or at weekends. When this is the case, you’ll want to know whether online gambling is legal in other EU countries. Here’s what you need to know:

Right now, there is no specific legislation in the EU governing online gambling services. 

Essentially, what this means is that online gambling websites and apps are 100% legal throughout all EU countries providing they abide by the laws and guidelines mentioned above. 

So, if you were to travel to another country, you can absolutely continue to gamble online providing you do so with an officially licensed provider!

Conclusion

Thanks for reading this article surrounding online gambling laws in Ireland and the EU more broadly. Now, you know that online gambling is legal in Ireland, which is why it’s so popular. In fact, the Irish are the 4th most popular gamblers in the EU, which is interesting to know. 

Moving forward, make sure to only use officially licensed gambling websites and apps. Whether you’re a fan of online poker or online slots, it’s absolutely essential that you do this to stay safe. 

Stay safe, have fun, and gamble responsibly!

Leading researchers come together at Dell Technologies Limerick to highlight role of new technologies in delivering better health

Leading healthcare researchers and technology experts from across the island of Ireland gathered at the Dell Technologies Innovation Lab in Limerick recently for a series of events and workshops to investigate how new technologies and the power of data can help deliver better healthcare into the future.

Professor Mark Lawler and his team of researchers from the Global Innovation Institute at Queen’s University Belfast are some of those who joined the team of experts at Dell Innovation Lab last week. Queen’s University Belfast is recognised as a global leader in cancer research and is home to the Centre for Secure Information Technologies.

By tapping into the power of High-Performance Computing and other advancements in technology, researchers at the university can help to break down data silos, increase clinical understanding of disease and use Big Data to improve the health and wellbeing of people on the island of Ireland and around the world.

Dell Limerick also hosted 190 members of the All-Island Cancer Research Institute (AICRI) for a unique hybrid event. The team at Dell have been looking at ways in which they can overcome challenges in harnessing the benefits of Big Data and other breakthrough technologies to speed up innovation and advance their research efforts. Using new data-driven insights, Professor Aedin Culhane and her fellow AICRI members can accelerate their work to uncover better diagnostics and treatments for patients with cancer.

The Innovation Lab located at Dell Limerick is a cutting-edge facility where organisations and businesses can experience real-life examples of how AI, 5G and the Internet of Things bring business value in advancing connected healthcare as well as developing digital cities, Industry 4.0 and connected transport.