Tag: #AI

Tech Review – IPEVO VOCAL AI Beamforming Bluetooth Speakerphone

The IPEVO VOCAL AI Beamforming Bluetooth Speakerphone is a conference speakerphone that claims to be the first speakerphone with two-way AI noise reduction. The speakerphone has Mic mute/unmute, Power switch, Bluetooth pairing button, volume knob, microphone mode switch – directional/omni, AI Voice for Mic, AI Voice for Speaker buttons on the unit. It is compatible (Plug & Play) with Mac, Windows, and Chromebooks and can connect to PCs, mobile, and Bluetooth-enabled devices.

Package Contents:

  •         IPEVO VOCAL
     USB Type-C cable (3.94 ft / 1.2 m)
     Quick Installation Guide

 

Features:

 

Controls:

 

 

Compatibility and Output Connectivity   USB Type C, Bluetooth 5.1

Compatibility (Plug & Play)   Mac, Windows, and Chromebooks.

Connectivity  Can connect to PCs, Mobile & Bluetooth Enabled Devices

 

Setup:

The Setup is standard in terms of connection to a Laptop via USB C cable or Bluetooth to a Laptop or phone etc  The setup worked as required while when turning on the IPEVO VOCAL this played music but did not advise connect or not. On occasion having connected to 2 phones and 2 laptops, it was hard to distinguish what the IPEVO VOCAL was connected to as does not have multimode technology and was slow to connect even when the other devices were switched off.  The option of Omni-directional: 360° voice capture or Directional: 120° voice capture was the change of a button which worked seamlessly allowing the whole room to talk or filter out to only one person speaking.

Niggles. The IPEVO VOCAL was tested on numerous conference calls, WhatsApp calls, and traditional calls. During the calls, the peak output power of the 5W speaker was low in terms of sufficient volume to hear for one person in a room, or a small group but a larger room would be difficult to hear with the volume turned up Max. The unit while connected to the various technologies via Bluetooth has worked but switching off and on struggles to automatically connect to the specific device, which resulted in manually connecting again. On occasion having connected to 2 phones and 2 laptops, it was hard to distinguish what the IPEVO VOCAL was connected to as does not have multimode technology and was slow to connect even when the other devices were switched off.

Warranty: 2 years from the date of purchase.

Conclusion:

The IPEVO VOCAL came with Two digital MEMS omnidirectional microphones with a Pickup distance of 5 m, which on paper may not compare well to many other brands which have more microphones. The 5w speaker volume is lower than many others tested in the past.

Ignoring all the above niggles, and specs this is a WOW conference speaker, wow in terms of using the best equipment in the past, conference, or earphones this outshines them all, When the AI Mic option was switched on, with a dog barking and a robotic vacuum running in the background, all the noise was drowned out. The other end of the call could not hear the noise through its artificial intelligence noise filter which used distinct data to capture natural sound while removing noise. The Omni-directional: 360° voice capture or Directional voice capture works flawlessly during calls (This can be heard in the video review when enabling the AI features.)

In conclusion, the IPEVO VOCAL AI Beamforming Bluetooth Speakerphone is a conference speakerphone that claims to be the first speakerphone with two-way AI noise reduction. While it has some niggles such as low speaker volume and slow Bluetooth connectivity, its AI noise reduction feature works flawlessly during calls.  This is a product that often-marketing teams exaggerate their claims of “It removes background noise on both ends of the call and delivers crystal-clear conferencing free of hassle.”  On this occasion, this statement is correct with a sensation feeling of this technology for the future. This is a product that must be tried /heard to believe it’s so good.

BUY

Video Review 

Surveys reveal that 95% of organisations across Ireland do not have an active AI Use Policy in place

Recent comprehensive surveys conducted between March and October this year have revealed concerning trends regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the workplace. The surveys, conducted by Legal Island, which encompassed a total of 500 HR respondents from various organisations across the island of Ireland, found that a startling 95% of these establishments have still to implement an active AI Use Policy in the workplace.

Mr. Barry Phillips, Chairman of Legal Island, and a former practising employment law barrister, expressed his concerns over these findings, stating: “These results are alarming. It suggests there’s something of a Wild West going on at the moment in the workplace, reminiscent of the early days of the internet’s introduction at work in the 90s. Employers back then chose to regulate its use only when it became clear employees were misusing email and the web, and when companies started facing penalties from regulators due to data breaches.”

The lack of an AI Use Policy can expose organisations to reputational risks as well as unnecessary legal liability. The findings signal a pressing need for businesses to develop and enforce clear AI policies, ensuring safe and responsible use in the workplace.

Phillips added “Employers need to be proactive and set about determining how AI is to be used at work, and within what parameters. It’s a complicated task when AI is evolving so quickly but those who choose to do nothing, preferring to watch from the sidelines, could end up in serious difficulties when they have no rules or practice guidelines to point to when something goes wrong.”

On Wednesday, 29th November, Legal Island will host a full day review of employment law topics, with a keynote session on regulating the use of AI at work. This will include a template AI use policy, as well as expert advice on how to mitigate the risks of AI at work, whilst maximising the benefits. The event, Annual Review of Employment Law, will be held simultaneously online and in person at the Dublin Convention Centre.

Legal Island is a multi-award-winning workplace compliance company, founded in 1998, working across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Legal Island helps HR professionals understand employment law and how it applies to their workplace.

For further information, or to register for the event on 29th November, visit www.legal-island.ie/events.

Tech Review – OBSBOT Tiny 2 AI-powered PTZ 4K Webcam

The OBSBOT Tiny 2 is an AI-powered PTZ 4K Webcam mounted on a 2-axil gimble allowing the movement/tracking as required, weighing in at 95.6g. This came with Built-in dual omnidirectional mics with noise reduction with a Power USB-Type C 3 Interface. The Tiny 2 while small felt solid to hold and a strong plastic material, The unit came with a Lightweight aluminum alloy Magnetism Adjustable Mount for Snap-On Installation. A separate kit was supplied as OBSBOT Meet Remote Control, with a Wireless Connection and an Extendable (optional) Tripod to mount the OBSBOT Tiny Series to adjust the height as required.

Contents 

The supplied USB-C to USB-A adapter is a bonus to allow multifunction connections to products. The supplied Storage case is ideal for hybrid working ensuring all components are packed away as neatly as required, which a standard USB C cable in use. 

As part of this review, Techbuzz Ireland used the optional accessories

  • OBSBOT Meet Remote Control
  • Extendable Tripod

Features

  • AI Tracking: Upgrade in AI tracking algorithms ensures smooth and accurate tracking of fast-moving objects, the addition of other faces, or changes in lighting conditions. Whether it’s a video call, presentation, or live streaming, the OBSBOT Tiny 2 webcam maintains focus on your target without losing sight.
  • Ultra Large 1/1.5” CMOS: Elevate your webcam experience with OBSBOT Tiny 2. It features an ultra-large 1/1.5″ CMOS sensor for unparalleled 4K, 30 frames webcam image quality.
  • Different Control Modes: Voice Control-Operate 4k webcam with easy and intuitive voice commands in English like “Hi, Tiny”, “Sleep Tiny” “Track Me”, “Unlock Me”， etc; Gesture Control 2.0-Based on the OBSBOT Tiny 4K webcam existing gesture control feature,
  • Multiple Modes: By downloading the OBSBOT WebCam App, you can enjoy the benefits of Beauty Mode, Desk Mode, Whiteboard Mode, Hand Mode, and Group Mode.
  • Various Placement Methods: Streaming webcam can be placed in four new shooting modes: Landscape, Portrait, Downward and Upside-down. These modes are suitable for video calls, vertical screen live streaming, desktop sharing, and remote teaching, providing a wider perspective and clearer details for the audience.

Compatible: Windows and Mac computers. 

Setup

The setup is standard in terms of connecting the Kit, which is connecting a UBC C cable to your laptop. Software can be downloaded to enhance the features via the install OBSBOT WebCam from https://www.obsbot.com/download, (If not downloaded basic features of AI Tracking, Gesture Control, Voice Control, etc, will work) Once downloaded the featured via voice, manual or remote can be enabled or disabled.

Voice command:

The OBSBOT Tiny 2 has voice controls which can turn on the Camera or put it to sleep. When using the voice controls the language used has to match exactly as per the instructions in the manual. It was noticed while this is an excellent feature, on occasion, this had to be repeated to ensure the voice was correctly picked up. The Features like track me when enabled via the AI are excellent in following the presenter around the room, with the option to change to go to a pre-stored position. This feature worked very well when the camera was put

 

OBSBOT Tiny Smart Remote 2

The Remote combines a presentation clicker and webcam remote control to control a multi-cam setup and preset positions.

Privacy Mode:

The Camera when disabled via the voice command “Sleep tiny”  or via the remote turns the camera via the 2-axle gimble to tilt down the camera to the ground ensuring privacy is observed when not in use. Again, simple but effective use of its technology. 

Warranty:  This is a disappointment with a 1-year warranty as standard. 

Conclusion:

Typically the word Tiny would indicate that this is smaller than the norm and lacks a punch for a product being of limited feature, How wrong could you be in terms of judging a book by its cover, The Tiny 2 came with the simple things done well, a USB C to C connection, an adapter to use USB A to your laptop as required, and a storage case. It’s small and lightweight, making it easy to transport. 

As an extra touch the Smart Remote 2 combines a presentation clicker and webcam remote allowing for a multitude of options, The supplied stand looks like a simple piece of metal but expands to a proper tripod stand allowing the adaption of its use from connected to a laptop to be used in a boardroom or taken to a presentation when out and about.

The kit has many features, Video Quality, Auto Focusing, Dual Native ISO via the bigger sensor  – 1/1.5’’ CMOS and Beauty Mode, ( smooths your skin and brightens your eyes), 

The  AI Features, are Auto Tracking with Auto Zoom, and Hands-free Voice Control one of my favourite features via its algorithm is  Hand Tracking. This allows the camera to follow your arm in any direction required,  thus focussing on a specific area or product as part of a presentation, this could then be changed to “Follow me” via voice command. The camera  Video Resolution of 4K@30fps, MJPEG, H264  with a 4x digital zoom would be sufficient for most users. 

The tiny is like a Swiss army knife of features allowing multiple uses, where manually control the camera, gesture, voice or via the remote. 

BUY

Video Review

Dell Technologies and Meta to Drive Generative AI Innovation with Llama 2 On Premises

Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) is collaborating with Meta to make it easy for Dell customers to deploy Meta’s Llama 2 models on premises with Dell’s generative AI (GenAI) portfolio of IT infrastructure, client devices and professional services.

“We are at the beginning of a new era with generative AI transforming how industries operate, innovate and compete,” said Jeff Boudreau, chief AI officer, Dell Technologies. “With the Dell and Meta technology collaboration, we’re making open-source GenAI more accessible to all customers, through detailed implementation guidance paired with the optimal software and hardware infrastructure for deployments of all sizes. Now, customers can more easily deploy secure GenAI models on premises for powerful new approaches and insights.”

Open-source GenAI fuels innovation on premises

The collaboration simplifies the on-premises AI environment by bringing together Dell’s top-selling infrastructure portfolio and the Llama 2 family of AI models. Customers can accelerate their GenAI efforts on premises in a traditional data center or at edge locations. Dell has integrated Meta’s Llama 2 models into its system sizing tools to help guide customers to the right solution to power their Llama 2 based AI efforts.

The Dell Validated Design for Generative AI with Meta’s Llama 2 provides pre-tested and proven Dell infrastructure, software, and services to streamline deployment and management of on-premises projects. With fully documented deployment and configuration guidance, organisations can get their GenAI infrastructure up and running more quickly and operate Llama 2 with more predictability.

With Meta’s Llama 2 and the breadth of the Dell Generative AI Solutions technology and services portfolio, organisations of all sizes have access to more reliable tools to deliver GenAI solutions from desktops to core data centers, edge locations and public clouds.

Additional resources

● Blog: Dell and Meta Collaborate to Drive Generative AI Innovation

● Blog: Deploying Llama 2 on the Dell PowerEdge XE9680 Server

● White Paper: Llama 2: Inferencing on a Single GPU

● Design Guide: Generative AI in the Enterprise – Inferencing

Evolve IP Hails Breakthrough ‘Moment’ In The Evolution Of AI-Powered Call Recording

Evolve IP’s AI-inspired call recording platform, powered by Dubber is being hailed as the dawning of a new era for business-critical conversation capture, with the launch of Dubber Moments. 

Anywhere Call Recording uses Dubber’s award-winning network-based speech intelligence and pre-packaged sentiment analysis, to enhance the customer experience. 

The sophisticated call recording platform (with Voice AI) enables businesses to record 100% of calls, chats and videos, replay recordings and reveal crucial insights from every conversation, on any device.

Global Partner Manager, Alex Finn says Anywhere Call Recording’s new Moments features are a game-changer in harnessing the power of AI-driven conversation insights.

“It empowers businesses to tap into business intelligence, driving growth, enhancing customer experiences, and optimising operations for efficiency and productivity. It turns all business conversations on multiple platforms including Microsoft Teams into critical data for compliance, business continuity and productivity.”

Deeper Understanding

The pre-packaged AI solution – powered by Dubber Moments – helps businesses capture, analyse and react to critical conversations and ‘moments’, according to Finn.

“We use AI to identify a key moment within a conversation. We gain a deeper understanding of the moment within the context of the entire conversation and connect moments across all conversations to deliver insights that help make informed business decisions.”

He says the new solution offers the potential to reshape communication experiences. “As a trained AI service, we offer a revolution for communication service providers by unlocking the vast amounts of voice data traversing their networks and providing out-of-the-box insights for their customers.

“Powered by advanced AI and natural language processing capabilities, we can analyse conversations to pinpoint pivotal moments based on contextual understanding. Actions, complaints, and a variety of additional conversational points can be automatically detected and flagged for action. By identifying these critical segments, Anywhere Call Recording generates immediately relevant insights from voice data.”

Unlock Insights

He concluded: “Rather than simple transcripts, end users and businesses can now enjoy actionable intelligence from every conversation. This has implications for any service provider or business seeking to unlock added insight from their conversations, without the need for large in-house AI budgets and teams.

“Our aim is to enhance the overall customer experience and enable contact centre and support leaders to quickly identify and respond to client issues, train new employees and document customer calls. Key use cases include sales coaching, HR, telemedicine, business compliance and merger and acquisition processes.

“Our AI solution offers the potential to reshape how we experience communication. Service providers can unlock the potential of their network – turning every conversation into an exponential source of value for differentiated innovation, retention, and revenue growth. This is a major step forward into a new era for call recording conversation capture.”

Microsoft launches National AI Skilling Programme designed to ‘Skill Up Ireland’

Minister for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Dara Calleary TD, joined Microsoft today as it launched an ambitious and far reaching, national Artificial Intelligence (AI) skilling programme. The programme is the central part of Microsoft’s plan to ‘Skill Up Ireland’ – helping to ensure that every person and organisation is ready and equipped for an AI future.

According to Microsoft’s recent Work Trend Index, published in June 2023, AI is expected to create a whole new way of working. 4 in 10 (42%) survey respondents said they spend too much time searching for the right data. 1 in 5 (21%) workers reported using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in their job, while of those who do not use AI (67%), almost 1 in 4 say they would be interested in doing so. The same report identified skills availability as the most important obstacle to the adoption of AI.

All trends indicate that AI is becoming more prolific in the workplace, yet employees don’t feel ready to take advantage of the technology. To address this challenge, Microsoft has designed a National AI skilling programme rooted in providing people of all ages, experiences and ambitions with the opportunity to develop their AI fluency and skills for an AI future. The programme includes a range of AI learning opportunities for young people in primary and post-primary education, as well as courses for graduates and mid-career professionals looking to upskill and specialise in AI.

As part of today’s announcement and its commitment to ‘Skill Up Ireland’, Microsoft announced the details of three new programmes that are now available, which provide access to industry recognised certificates for adult learners, including in Generative AI, and Microsoft Dream Space certificates for student learners.

The first of the new initiatives announced by Microsoft today is a bespoke 6-week “Introduction to AI” course that will be delivered through live virtual sessions. The free course is available to anyone over 18 and is designed to help equip those with little or no understanding of AI with the foundational knowledge, skills and competencies they need to engage more confidently with the current and emerging applications of AI. Learners who complete the course will receive a digital badge and they can also take an exam and earn a Professional Certificate upon passing.

The second initiative announced today is ‘Skills for Jobs’ which has been designed to help graduates and those currently in the workplace to advance their digital and AI skills so they can participate fully in an AI-enabled economy. The initiative offers new courses and provides access to eight Professional Certificates to help people learn the foundational skills and relevant hard and soft skills needed for in-demand tech and tech-enabled jobs. Within the offering there is a dedicated AI learning pathway where learners can improve their AI fluency and achieve a Professional Certificate in Generative AI.  This programme will be delivered in partnership with Fastrack into Information Technology.

Finally, as part of its commitment to the next generation, the company also announced the expansion of the Microsoft Dream Space digital skills offering for primary and post-primary students. Every student now engaging with Dream Space will learn about the fundamentals of AI. This will cover content that looks at how it is created to where it applies in their everyday lives and the opportunities and challenges that come with it including ethical and responsible AI. In addition, early next year a new series of Dream Space TV with lessons created to ensure AI literacy will be made available to almost 1,000,000 students, as well as their teachers, across the island of Ireland. Dream Space certificates will be issued to students who complete the lesson series.

Microsoft’s focus on AI skilling and the new programmes announced today align fully with the Government’s National AI Strategy ‘AI – Here for Good’ which aims to expand access to courses that educate the general public about AI as well as providing AI upskilling and reskilling opportunities for those in the workforce.

Welcoming the announcement, Minister for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation Dara Calleary TD, said: “The use and deployment of AI can bring with it huge benefits and efficiencies for society and the economy, but if we are to seize those opportunities, we must be prepared for them and a key part of that is education and upskilling. This Government recognises how critical it is for government, industry and the education sector to work closely together to rapidly expand access to digital and AI skills.    

“I commend Microsoft for playing their part in ensuring that we are building public awareness and informed decision making in order to use AI for our collective good. In particular, the bespoke “Introduction to AI” course is a very welcome contribution to wider digital literacy and digital skills efforts. By encouraging a lifelong learning approach to AI skilling, we can realise the ambition of our National AI Strategy and work towards achieving our goal of 75% of businesses using AI by 2030.”

Minister of State for Skills and Further Education Niall Collins TD said: “I welcome the announcement from Microsoft today. It is an excellent complement to the raft of AI upskilling and reskilling initiatives under way in Higher and Further Education and will help us continue to hit our targets under the National Digital Strategy and EU Digital Decade to 2030.”

James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Leader and Vice-President Microsoft Global Operations Service Centre, said: “AI offers tremendous potential to empower workers, people and communities across Ireland – but only if everyone, everywhere has the skills to use it. With the World Economic Forum estimating that 60% of all employees will need reskilling by 2027, it’s vital that industry play its part in helping the current and future generations to succeed in an AI era.

“At Microsoft we believe that AI-enabled innovation will generate economic and societal opportunities for communities and economies right across the globe and here in Ireland we must be ready to take advantage of this opportunity. The ability to work alongside and utilise AI technology effectively and ethically in the workplace is becoming an essential skill for many jobs.

“By rolling out our new AI learning programmes, we are empowering people of all ages, backgrounds and experiences to gain the analytical, creative thinking and technical skills that are necessary to participate fully in an AI-enabled economy. Through these efforts and our significant investment in skills more broadly we want to play our part in helping to Skill-Up Ireland for an exciting AI future.” 

To learn more about Microsoft’s ambition to Skill Up Ireland and the many skills training initiatives they’re providing, including the new national AI skilling programme, visit: aka.ms/SkillUpIreland.

New Google Maps updates: Immersive View for routes and other AI features

Over the past few years, Google Maps has transformed how people interact with the world with features like fuel-efficient routing and Live View to help you orient yourself when walking with augmented reality. Today with the power of AI, Google are announcing even more updates so you can confidently plan and navigate trips, make sustainable choices, and get quick inspiration for things to do.
Chris Phillips, VP & General Manager, Geo gives us the details..

Know before you go with Immersive View for Routes

Google Maps provides over 20 billion kilometers of directions every day. And with AI, we’re reimagining how you plan your trips before you go. At I/O this year, we announced Immersive View for routes, an entirely new way to preview every step of your journey — whether you’re driving, walking or cycling. This week, Immersive View for routes starts rolling out in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dublin, Florence, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paris, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Tokyo and Venice on Android and iOS.

Say you want to bike along the water to the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Just request cycling directions, then tap the Immersive View preview to see your route in a stunning, multidimensional view from start to finish. You can prepare for each turn as if you were there with detailed, visual turn-by-turn directions, and use the time slider to plan when to head out based on helpful information, like simulated traffic and weather conditions. That way, you can easily avoid riding during rainy weather or heavy traffic.

All of this builds on our  work for Immersive View for places, which uses AI to fuse together billions of Street View and aerial images so you can know what a restaurant or landmark is like before you go. Now developers can also create their own immersive experiences with the launch of Photorealistic 3D Tiles in Google Maps Platform this week.

Easily understand your surroundings with Lens in Maps

Google Maps also makes it easier to understand your surroundings once you get somewhere — like if you’re exiting a subway station and need to orient yourself or if you’re scoping out a new neighborhood and need to find the nearest coffee shop. Lens in Maps (formerly called Search with Live View) uses AI and augmented reality to help you quickly acclimate yourself — whether you’re navigating a new city or discovering local hidden gems.

Simply tap the Lens icon in the search bar and lift your phone to find information about nearby ATMs, transit stations, restaurants, coffee shops and stores. In our biggest expansion of this feature yet, starting this week Lens in Maps is coming to more than 50 new cities including Austin, Las Vegas, Rome, São Paulo and Taipei.

Navigate with confidence with a more detailed map

Today, hundreds of millions of drivers depend on Google Maps’ helpful information about real-world conditions, like nearby crashes or upcoming traffic jams.

Soon, the navigation map will reflect the real world even more accurately. In addition to updated colors throughout the map, you’ll see more realistic buildings to help you better orient yourself – like if you’re driving downtown and need to understand where you are during the final stretch of your ride. And on highways, where some of the trickiest driving maneuvers often happen (like that annoying exit that requires you to quickly cross multiple lanes), you’ll see improved lane details to help you feel prepared. These updates start rolling out in the coming months in 12 countries, including the U.S., Canada, France and Germany.

In the U.S., you’ll soon see if there are HOV lanes along your route so you can make a more informed decision about how to get to your destination. And in Europe, our AI-powered speed limit information is expanding to 20 countries so you can stay safe even when it’s hard to spot speed limit signs on the road. Both features start rolling out on Android, iOS, and for cars with Google Built-in in the coming months.

Reduce charging anxiety with even more EV information

If you’re an electric vehicle driver, you may be familiar with charging anxiety. Whether you’re on a road trip, commuting to work, or heading across town, there’s nothing worse than not knowing where you can charge mid-trip.

Starting this week, building on our capabilities in cars with Google built-in, EV drivers on Android and iOS will now see even more helpful charging station information, including whether a charger is compatible with their vehicle and whether the available chargers are fast, medium, or slow to help you find the charging station that best meets your needs. And since 25% of all chargers in the U.S. are down at any given time, you can also see when a charger was last used to help you avoid wasting time heading to a broken charger. These updates start rolling out globally on iOS and Android this week wherever EV charging station information is available.

EV charging information will also be available to developers on Google Maps Platform in the Places API, so companies can show real-time EV charging station information in their websites and apps.

Find inspiration for things to do with new ways to search

Sometimes you know exactly what you want to do, but aren’t sure where to go. Search in Google Maps is evolving to give you even more answers to your questions, help you discover things to do, and find inspiration in a whole new way.

Now, when you search in Maps for specific things like the best place to find “animal latte art” or “pumpkin patch with my dog,” you’ll get photo-first results of what you’re looking for. These results are based on the analysis of billions of photos shared by the Google Maps community — all done with AI and advanced image recognition models. With this visual list of places, you can discover new spots that match exactly what you’re looking for. Just scroll through the results, tap on a photo to learn more, and navigate right there. This new way to search in Maps starts rolling out in France, Germany, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S. this week, and we’ll expand to more countries over time.

And for those times when you’re starting from scratch and have no idea what to do — like when you magically have a free weekend — you’ll soon see better-organized search results to spark your imagination. So if you’re in Tokyo, you could search for “things to do” to see thematic place suggestions like “anime”, “cherry blossoms” or “art exhibitions.” Tap on the places that interest you to learn more, and even save the options to a list if you want to check them out later. Thematic results for activities and dining roll out globally on Android and iOS in the coming weeks.

Google Maps is transforming how people explore and navigate, and AI continues to play a pivotal role in bringing how we’re building innovative experiences for people around the world. To learn more about how we use AI, check out this deep dive about how AI and imagery bring Immersive View to life. 

Version 1 brings National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park alive with new AI-led app

Version 1, a leading digital transformation partner and The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC), home to the world’s largest collection of working historic computers, today announced the brand new TNMOC Mate application, designed to transform the museum’s visitor experience for all age groups, cultural origins, and linguistic backgrounds.

TNMOC Mate uses generative AI to present compelling exhibit information in a way that is easily understandable, making sure that the intricate details of the history and future of computing are accessible to everyone.

Exhibitions at TNMOC can be incredibly detailed, particularly as they portray cryptographic machines and the historical development of computers. These exhibits are sometimes more challenging for certain visitors to fully appreciate, including those for whom English is not their primary language, younger visitors, or those with neurodiverse profiles.

TNMOC wanted to avoid any factors that may prevent all visitors from having the same level of participation and worked with Version 1 to create the app, specifically designed for inclusivity in a way that has not previously been explored.

 “We chose to work with Version 1 because they understood exactly what we wanted to achieve. As well as having the right advanced technical expertise, Version 1 shares the goal to leverage today’s cutting-edge technology for the benefit of absolutely everyone,” said Jacqui Garrad, Museum Director at TNMOC. “We’re proud to be able to deliver educational opportunities with this accessible tool, immersing our visitors in our exceptional collection. Thanks to Version 1 for realising our vision. This undoubtedly makes us one of the most accessible museums in the world.

“Version 1’s leading capabilities in the use of generative AI, not just for improved, but also more accessible and inclusive user experience means that we are constantly pushing the boundaries to deliver on the expectation of next generation consumer interaction,” said Brad Mallard, Chief Technology Officer at Version 1. “When we worked with TNMOC to shape the vision for the app, we were excited to imagine how we could use the most cutting-edge technology with them, especially given the historic importance of Bletchley Park and its association with Alan Turing and his ground-breaking work on AI back as early as 1935. It truly delivers the inspiration of the museum exhibits in the same degree of vivid and fascinating discovery to every visitor, regardless of who they are.”

TNMOC Mate offers clear directions for seamless museum navigation, facilitated by a persona that the visitor can choose to match their age group and language preference. All the prompts are delivered in the preferred language and enhanced with audio and animated visuals. The app helps users to navigate through the museum using an interactive floor map that highlights exhibit details with simplified text and audio.

The museum will host a relaxed opening and launch of TNMOC Mate today, Wednesday 25th October, at a unique event called “Digital Future Days: Relaxed Opening and Home Educators Day” welcoming visitors to try out the technology and explore the museum in their own way against a tranquil setting.

Irish leaders largely unprepared for AI future & uncertain about economic future, IMI reveals

Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail Neale Richmond TD joined the Irish Management Institute today (IMI) at its National Leadership Conference, on the same day it unveiled new research revealing a skills shortage among senior business leaders preparing for Ireland’s AI-enabled future.

The ‘IMI Leadership Barometer’, launched at the National Leadership Conference, surveyed senior business leaders across Ireland from September to October 2023. The research provides key insights into the attitudes and priorities of senior decision makers as they navigate a rapidly evolving business environment and the emergence of disruptive new technologies.

First held over 70 years ago, the National Leadership Conference brings together senior business leaders from across Ireland to explore how leaders can learn, innovate and lead in a rapidly changing environment. Keynote speakers at the event include Bruce Daisley, a former VP EMEA at Twitter and international consultant on workplace culture, Deborah Threadgold, General Manager at IBM Ireland, and Ronan O’Gara, Head Coach at La Rochelle.

The researched unveiled at the conference show that leaders are unsure about the trajectory of the economy. 47% of business leaders are uncertain whether the economy will grow in the next 12 months. With inflationary pressures still strong and costs increasing, a further 36% of leaders believe the economy is likely to contract in the next year.

Digital transformation was another key area with only 1 in 4 business leaders feeling they have the right skills and capabilities to harness the potential of AI within their organisation. The main barrier to navigating an AI future was found to be uncertainty (39%), indicating a pervasive lack of knowledge in the business community regarding the potential applications and impact of this technology.

Lack of capabilities to drive change (36%) was also identified as a major obstacle, with leaders believing their workforce lacks critical skills to enable digital transformation. Such findings reflect the growing importance for leaders in upskilling and reskilling every level of their organisation – from the leadership level down – in order to harness the power of innovation.

Although senior leaders are prioritising innovation, conflicting priorities (41%) and organisational culture (27%) were found to be critical innovation challenges. However, the importance of strong leadership in overcoming these barriers and fostering a culture of innovation is clear: 48% of survey respondents stated that strong leaders who foster and champion innovation is critical for innovation success.

Looking ahead, the majority of leaders felt overcoming skills and talent shortages (59%) to be the key factor for future business success – a persistent challenge in an exceptionally tight labour market. Leading digital transformation (27%) was also deemed critical for future success unsurprisingly, with leaders keen to harness the potential productivity boom created by AI and other emerging technologies. Only 9% of business leaders consider advancing the ESG agenda to be critical for future success.

Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail Neale Richmond TD commented: “Business leaders across Ireland have proven their resilience in navigating challenges over the past years, from the emergence from the Covid-19 pandemic, to skills shortages and rising costs. As the business environment continues to evolve, it is crucial that firms and workers are well equipped to embrace the opportunities presented by new technologies such as AI.

“Today’s gathering of business leaders across Ireland at the National Leadership Conference provides an opportunity to explore how leaders can successfully harness the opportunities presented by new technologies and use them to empower their organisations for the future. This includes re-training and up-skilling workers to ensure they are capable of using these new technologies. By working closely together, government and business can enhance the competitiveness of Irish businesses and develop a thriving, resilient and future-proof enterprise economy.”

Shane O’Sullivan, interim CEO of the IMI, said: “The IMI Leadership Barometer provides an important insight into how senior leaders are responding to emerging technologies and a changing economic environment.

“With ongoing advances in AI and disruptive digital technologies, the fact that only 25% of business leaders feel they have the necessary skills in place to support these changes is of significant concern. Top-down leadership is critical for driving this fundamental transformation of how we work. Otherwise, we cannot harness the powerful productivity gains of AI and other digital technologies. Business leaders must consider a lifelong learning approach to equip themselves with the right skills, capabilities and knowledge.

“It is reassuring to see almost half of senior leaders in Ireland recognise the importance of their role in driving a thriving culture of innovation within their organisation. Leaders must develop a culture of innovation by acting as role models in the development of ideas, while fostering collaboration and creativity between different teams and departments throughout their organisation.

“Celebrating 70 years since its first edition, the National Leadership Conference provides important insights for business leaders across the themes of Learn, Innovate, Lead. By implementing the guidance shared by our expert speakers and research findings, senior leaders can enhance their leadership skills and set their organisation on the path to success in the year ahead.”