Vodafone reveals record-breaking connectivity trends in 2025

Ireland’s appetite for connectivity continues to soar, with Vodafone Ireland’s latest network insights revealing record-breaking data usage, festive surges, and a clear shift in how the nation communicates.
Mobile data usage rose by 19.24% year-on-year, climbing from 445,133 TB in 2024 to 530,794 TB in 2025. The busiest day for data was Tuesday, 9th December, when 1,660 TB was consumed nationwide as Storm Bram swept across Ireland. Evenings remain Ireland’s prime time for digital activity, with 10 PM emerging as the busiest hour for online engagement.
While data demand continues to rise, overall voice traffic fell by 7.83% compared to 2024, reflecting a growing preference for messaging, video calls, and social platforms over traditional voice communication. Yet, calls still matter when it counts. The busiest day for calls in 2025 was Wednesday, 26th March, with 502,273 Erlangs – equivalent to approximately 10 million calls, assuming an average 3-minute duration.

Christmas and New Year’s Day saw millions reconnect. Christmas Day recorded almost 3.4 million calls, while New Year’s Day soared past 4.5 million. Together, that’s over 8 million calls during the festive period, proof that when it matters most, Ireland still picks up the phone.

Beyond everyday patterns, 2025 was marked by extraordinary peaks in data usage during Ireland’s major events. During the Ireland vs South Africa rugby match, Vodafone’s network handled over 15,000 calls. Across last year’s Autumn International home matches, Vodafone Ireland’s network managed over 220 TB of data, the equivalent of streaming 73 million songs. Summer’s biggest music moments drove massive connectivity spikes, with Vodafone’s network handling over 5 TB of mobile data across the Dua Lipa and Lana Del Rey concerts at Aviva Stadium – powered by thousands of photos, live streams, and social sharing.
These insights underscore the importance of staying connected in today’s world. As demand for data continues to rise, Vodafone Ireland is currently in the midst of a €500 million five-year investment cycle to enhance network performance across the country.
This ongoing investment and network upgrades have ensured an increasingly fast, reliable service for customers, and saw that Vodafone Ireland was recognised by independent benchmarking organisation, umlaut, as “Best in Test” for the tenth consecutive year in 2025.
Technology now touches every part of life – from accessing government services and our ways of working to planning journeys on public transport and staying in touch with loved ones. Ireland is more connected than ever before, and 2026 will bring new opportunities and challenges for our networks as our digital evolution continues.

How Real-Time Streaming Tech Powers Live Dealer Casinos?

Here’s the thing most players don’t think about when they sit down at a live dealer table: somewhere, in a perfectly lit studio, a real human is shuffling cards while an army of cameras, servers, codecs, and network engineers quietly lose sleep so your blackjack hand doesn’t freeze on a seven of hearts.

Live dealer casinos feel effortless. That’s the magic. But behind that smooth stream is one of the most demanding real-time tech setups in online entertainment. This isn’t Netflix. You can’t buffer your way out of a bad hand.

So let’s pull back the velvet curtain and talk about how real-time streaming technology actually powers live dealer casinos—and why it’s way more impressive than most people realize.

 

Why Live Dealer Streaming Is a Different Beast

Streaming a movie is easy. Stream it late? No problem. Pause it? Totally fine. Stream a live casino game? That’s a high-wire act without a safety net.

Live dealer casinos require ultra-low latency, meaning the time between the dealer dealing a card and you seeing it must be nearly instant. We’re talking fractions of a second. Any delay longer than that, and players start shouting “rigged” in the chat.

On top of that, everything must be synchronized:

  • The video feed 
  • The betting interface 
  • The game logic 
  • The timer counting down your decision 

If even one of these slips, the illusion collapses. And once the illusion is gone, so is the trust.

 

The Studio: Where the Magic Actually Happens

Live dealer studios are closer to TV broadcast sets than casinos. Dealers don’t just stand at a table; they perform under intense lighting designed to eliminate shadows, glare, and suspicious reflections.

Multiple HD cameras surround the table. Not one. Not two. Usually three to five, capturing:

  • A wide shot of the dealer 
  • A close-up of the cards or wheel 
  • A backup angle in case something goes wrong 

These feeds are captured simultaneously and pushed into real-time encoding systems. No editing. No retakes. If the dealer drops a card, the internet sees it.

This is where latency becomes the enemy. Every extra processing step adds delay, so casino streaming setups are stripped down to essentials. Speed beats beauty.

 

Encoding: Turning Reality into Data (Fast)

Once cameras capture the action, raw video is useless unless it’s compressed—fast. This is where real-time encoders step in.

Encoders convert video into formats that can travel quickly across the internet without destroying image quality. Modern live casinos rely on adaptive bitrate streaming, which means the stream adjusts itself on the fly depending on your connection.

Strong Wi-Fi? You get crisp HD.
Weak signal? The resolution drops, but the game continues.

That’s why you can play from a café, a train, or your couch without the table freezing mid-spin. It’s not luck. It’s math, bandwidth management, and ruthless optimization.

 

The Invisible Middleman: Streaming Servers

Here’s a fun fact: the dealer isn’t streaming directly to you.

Between the studio and your screen sit distribution servers scattered across regions. These servers decide the fastest possible route for the video to reach you, shaving milliseconds wherever they can.

This is especially important for players hopping between platforms while comparing options like the best online casino ireland has to offer, where performance and smoothness often matter more than flashy bonuses.

The same logic applies again when players debate which platform truly deserves the label best online casino ireland—because when the stream stutters, no welcome offer can save the experience.

 

Syncing Video With Bets: The Real Challenge

Video alone isn’t enough. The casino must sync what you see with what you can do.

When the dealer says “Place your bets,” a countdown timer appears. That timer isn’t cosmetic. It’s linked to the same system handling the video feed, the dealer’s actions, and your clicks.

This requires event-driven architecture, where every action triggers multiple responses instantly:

  • Dealer starts dealing → betting closes 
  • Card hits the table → result updates 
  • Wheel stops spinning → payouts calculate 

If any of these lag behind the video, chaos follows. Imagine betting on a hand after seeing the card. Exactly. That’s why live dealer platforms are built like financial trading systems, not casual games.

 

Latency Wars: How Casinos Keep It Fair

Fairness in live dealer casinos isn’t just about honesty—it’s about timing.

To prevent abuse, casinos deliberately add tiny, controlled delays to certain actions. Not enough for players to notice, but enough to prevent anyone from exploiting network advantages.

This balancing act ensures that:

  • Everyone sees the same action at the same time 
  • Bets are locked fairly 
  • No one gains an edge by sitting closer to a server 

It’s a constant war against physics, geography, and impatient players.

 

Human Touch, Digital Precision

One reason live dealer casinos exploded in popularity is psychological. Humans trust humans.

Seeing a real dealer shuffle cards does something algorithms never could. It lowers suspicion. It adds warmth. It turns gambling from a cold interface into a shared moment.

But that human touch is supported by ruthless precision. Every shuffle is tracked. Every card scan feeds into a backend system verifying outcomes in real time. The dealer smiles. The software double-checks.

It’s theatre backed by engineering.

 

What’s Next: Faster, Closer, More Immersive

The future of live dealer streaming isn’t just higher resolution. It’s lower latency, regional micro-studios, and interactive layers.

Expect features like:

  • Dealers responding to chat in real time 
  • Personalized camera angles 
  • Seamless switching between tables without reloads 

As 5G and edge computing mature, the gap between physical casinos and digital tables will shrink even further. The screen will disappear. The experience will remain.

 

Live dealer casinos work not because they look real—but because the technology behind them refuses to fake anything.

Every spin, every card, every awkward dealer joke travels across oceans in milliseconds, balanced on a knife-edge of timing and trust. It’s messy. It’s complex. And when it works, it feels effortless.

Which is exactly the point.

Dell Technologies Ireland reveals top technology predictions for 2026

Mark Hopkins, General Manager of Dell Technologies Ireland, has unveiled his top five technology predictions for 2026, outlining how Artificial Intelligence (AI), data and intelligent automation will fundamentally reshape how Irish businesses and public services operate.

The technology leader is forecasting a major acceleration in AI adoption, as organisations move from pilots and proof-of-concept projects to enterprise-wide deployment. In 2026, AI will become embedded into everyday operations, delivering measurable gains in productivity, efficiency and resilience across the Irish economy. Key predictions include the rise of physical and agentic AI, a step-change in public sector adoption, and a renewed focus on infrastructure and workforce upskilling.

“In 2026, AI will be treated not just as a tool but as a strategic asset capable of delivering measurable impact across operations, innovation and customer engagement,” said Mark Hopkins, General Manager of Dell Technologies Ireland. “Leaders who act now to integrate AI thoughtfully, modernise infrastructure and upskill their workforce will gain a decisive competitive edge.”

“From Bantry to Belfast, organisations are discovering that speed, data and intelligent automation are now the defining levers of competitiveness,” Hopkins added. “By anticipating the technology trends that will shape Ireland’s economy, Dell Technologies is helping organisations adopt AI responsibly and turn promise into real business advantage.”

  1. AI will take on a physical form – but not in the way many expect

In 2026, AI will step out of the digital shadows and take on tangible roles in the real world. Humanoid robots on every street are not expected; instead, purpose-built machines such as drones, mobile robots, and autonomous systems will be deployed to address specific challenges.

Examples include AI-powered crawlers that navigate power lines to identify issues and coordinate repairs to critical infrastructure. In healthcare, logistics robots will streamline hospital operations, freeing up staff for patient care. This new wave of “physical AI” will tackle repetitive, dangerous, and physically demanding work, delivering speed and safety at scale.

For Ireland, with its dispersed population and infrastructure needs, these innovations will help bridge geographic gaps and enhance resilience.

  1. Agentic AI will shift from helpful assistant to an integral manager

AI will move beyond chatbots and copilots to autonomous agents capable of managing complex, multi-step workflows. These systems will validate data, trigger approvals, coordinate with other agents and ensure compliance across business processes.

With nearly 90% of organisations identifying strong opportunities to create value from Agentic AI, according to the Dell Innovation Catalysts Study, Irish organisations – particularly in regulated sectors – will need secure, auditable infrastructure to manage the explosion of data and system interactions these agents create.

  1. Public sector will go all-in on AI, with healthcare leading the charge

After a period of cautious pilots, 2026 will see the Irish public sector move decisively to scale AI, with healthcare leading the way. AI-driven diagnostic support, automated clinical documentation and predictive resource planning will move from trial to production, helping to reduce waiting lists and improve patient outcomes.

As adoption increases, the focus will shift from theoretical debates about AI ethics to practical governance, with public-private partnerships playing a central role in delivering secure, sovereign AI solutions.

  1. Data deluge will redefine IT infrastructure

AI both consumes and generates vast volumes of data, much of it unstructured. As agentic AI becomes mainstream, hybrid IT architectures will become the norm. Critical data and high-value workloads will remain on-premises for control and security, while cloud platforms provide flexibility and scale.

Edge computing will push AI processing closer to where data is generated, reducing latency and keeping sensitive data local. Organisations that successfully align workloads to the right environment will gain a significant competitive advantage.

  1. Focus shifts from long-term STEM education to upskilling today’s workforce

While long-term STEM education remains critical, 2026 will be defined by immediate, practical upskilling. Almost 80% of Irish businesses expect their workforce to require digital upskilling in the coming years, with AI literacy becoming essential across every role.

The most effective programmes will combine sector expertise with hands-on AI tools, whether in healthcare, manufacturing or financial services. They will deliver immediate productivity gains when embedded into daily work and supported by strong governance.

Factors that detract from the gaming experience

What has the most significant negative impact on online gaming? Recent online gaming data revealed that in-game advertising was the most critical drawback for users in 2023. A total of 55% of players felt that excessive in-game ads had a considerable negative impact on their gaming experience, while only 23% considered it a minor issue. 

Bugs and crashes ranked second among issues, with 42% of players citing a significant negative impact. This is four percentage points higher than the number of players reporting poor optimization and performance issues. 

On the other hand, only 13% of players believe that launch delays have a significant negative effect on their gaming experience. This suggests that gamers are willing to wait longer for games to be released if the final product has fewer bugs and issues.

In addition to the above reasons, gamers also highlight disadvantages such as microtransactions (small digital payments to unlock game features) and games that can be played only on a specific console.

          BETER Esports: top content and accurate statistics

It is also worth noting that audiences are often dissatisfied with the lack of opportunities to use statistics or follow news about esports competitions outside the game itself. This data can be provided by a brand specialised in diverse content delivery and in combining content and analytics.

BETER Esports offers a vast portfolio of esports tournaments and cutting-edge solutions. The brand BETER offers robust in-play and pre-match trading services, covering a wide range of in-house and over 400 global esports tournaments from Tier 1 to Tier 3.

At ICE Barcelona 2026, BETER is set to captivate audiences with its dynamic portfolio of fast, data-driven sports and esports content. With over 700,000 thrilling sports and esports events taking place each year, the team proudly offers 24/7 live streams and robust data feeds that keep fans engaged and informed. To learn more about tools and solutions, iGaming leaders are invited to visit stand 4F10.

Core42 Establishes European Headquarters in Dublin

Core42, a G42 company specializing in sovereign cloud and AI infrastructure, today announced the establishment of its European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland. The news was shared at Investopia, the UAE’s global investment platform, which is hosting its global dialogue series in Dublin this week. The new headquarters strengthens Core42’s ability to serve European enterprises and governments seeking secure, high-performance infrastructure to scale AI adoption.

Core42 was founded in 2023 by G42 to build globally relevant infrastructure for large-scale AI. The company focuses on sovereign cloud, advanced compute platforms, and hyperscale AI environments that support production-grade AI across sectors. Core42 partners with Microsoft, NVIDIA, AMD, Cerebras, and other global ecosystem leaders to ensure customers have access to the latest accelerators, models, and architectures.

Through its AI Cloud platform, Core42 provides fast, self-service access to high-performance compute for training, inference, and large-scale experimentation. Its services portfolio, managed delivery functions, and AI solutioning capabilities support customers through cloud modernization, data readiness, and the full AI adoption lifecycle.

Since 2024, Core42 has expanded its European presence through a series of large-scale sovereign compute initiatives. In France, Core42 partnered with Data One and Oreus to deliver a national-scale AI infrastructure deployment in Grenoble that supports high-performance enterprise and public sector workloads. In Italy, the company collaborated with Domyn to build Europe’s largest AI compute cluster, creating a strong foundation for an AI-first economy and accelerating the region’s ability to scale advanced AI solutions.

Establishing the European headquarters in Dublin marks the next phase of this expansion. The office will act as the regional hub for customer delivery, engineering leadership, regulatory engagement, and ecosystem partnerships. It positions Core42 to work more closely with European institutions and industry leaders as demand for scalable AI infrastructure accelerates across key sectors.

Commenting on the milestone, Talal M. Al Kaissi, Interim CEO of Core42, said: “Europe is a central part of Core42’s global expansion strategy. Establishing our headquarters in Dublin gives us the operational base to support growing demand for high-performance AI infrastructure and to work more closely with customers and partners as they scale production-grade AI across key sectors.”

Also at Investopia, Core42 together with Emerging Markets Intelligence and Research (EMIR), released a report that explores the infrastructure, policy, and investment conditions required for Europe to accelerate its AI capabilities. The report draws on comparative insights from the rapid AI scale-up in the UAE and provides practical guidance for governments, investors, and enterprises developing sovereign-aligned AI ecosystems. To download the report, click here.

Core42 will begin formal operations in Dublin in early 2026, with plans to expand engineering, customer success, and partner ecosystem teams throughout the year.

The Tech Behind Live Streaming

Live streaming has become one of those things people use every day without thinking about what makes it work. It sits behind video calls, investor briefings, gaming platforms, remote onboarding, and half of the entertainment world. When a stream loads instantly, nobody notices. When it doesn’t, suddenly the entire system feels fragile. The truth is that the technology behind live streaming is layered, messy, and constantly evolving in the background while the front-end looks calm.

How Real-Time Streaming Became a Standard

The shift toward real-time delivery hasn’t come from one industry alone. Finance, gaming, education, and entertainment all pushed for it in different ways. The gaming sector, in particular, raised the bar. Many non GamStop casino sites offer live dealer table games, which depend on smooth video to keep the entire experience believable. When the cards hit the table, the player sees it instantly. If there’s lag or the picture breaks, people stop trusting what’s on the screen.

That need for precision forced streaming providers to rethink everything from how video is encoded to how far it travels before it reaches the viewer. Those same upgrades now support financial dashboards, compliance recordings, large-scale investor calls, and other tools that demand immediate data without distortion. Live streaming didn’t grow because it was trendy. It grew because different sectors relied on it for different reasons and ended up shaping one another’s standards.

Why Compression Does Most of the Heavy Lifting

When someone tunes into a live stream, what they actually receive isn’t raw footage. It’s been compressed, trimmed, rearranged, and re-encoded in milliseconds. Most people never think about this part because they never see it.

Compression technology has changed quietly but dramatically. Older systems used fixed rules; newer systems adapt on the fly. If your connection weakens, the stream doesn’t stop; it reorganises itself. The sharpest details stay sharp, less important parts soften, and the video keeps moving.

This adaptability is what lets a financial analyst watch a live earnings call on a train, or a remote employee take part in an onboarding session from a café. Everything hinges on compression working fast enough that the viewer doesn’t realise anything changed.

The Importance of Edge Routing

Another piece of the puzzle sits at the “edges” of the network. Instead of sending all traffic through distant servers, companies now place smaller nodes closer to users. It shortens the distance data has to travel, which cuts down the delay.

Streaming companies borrowed this approach early, but now finance relies on it heavily, too. A real-time trading screen can’t freeze just because thousands of people log in at once. Edge routing spreads the load, redirecting traffic before it builds into a bottleneck.

The biggest advantage is stability. If one route slows down, another picks up the slack. Viewers never notice the switch, but without it, delays would be constant.

Security Built Directly Into the Stream

As streaming expanded, so did the security expectations around it. Encryption is now standard from the moment the feed is created. Tokens determine who can access it. Some systems rebuild the stream each time someone logs in, just to keep it from being reused elsewhere.

In the finance world, this matters because live-streamed meetings often contain sensitive information. In gaming, it matters for a different reason: payments and personal details move through the same systems that carry the video. Platforms want to make sure the wrong person can’t intercept or mimic the stream. Security isn’t a checklist anymore. It’s part of the architecture.

Latency and the Psychology of Timing

Latency, the small delay between an action and the viewer seeing it, affects how people interpret what happens on a screen. A one-second delay during a live interview feels uncomfortable. A half-second delay during a digital card game feels suspicious.

To shrink latency, developers trimmed how long each step takes: capturing, compressing, routing, and displaying. They removed extra buffer space. They rewrote how devices prioritise streaming data over background processes.

The result isn’t instant, but it is close enough that people feel as though the moment is happening right in front of them. In an economy that depends on trust, whether financial or recreational, that perception matters.

AI in the Control Room

A few years ago, live streaming relied mostly on fixed rules. Now, AI systems adjust quality before a user even notices a problem. They guess when the connection is about to dip and prepare alternative routing. They identify whether the image is too sharp for the available bandwidth and soften it before the viewer sees a glitch.

Some platforms use AI to detect motion and decide what needs the most clarity. Others predict peak usage times and shift server loads ahead of time. It is invisible work, but it is the reason modern live streams rarely collapse the way they used to.

How Different Sectors Shape the Technology

The strange thing about live streaming is that the industries shaping it rarely share the same goals. Finance wants reliable logs and verifiable security. Gaming wants speed and low latency. Education wants accessibility on low-bandwidth connections. Entertainment wants clarity.

Because all of these needs overlap in certain places, streaming providers have been forced to build systems that can handle unpredictable demands. A platform that streams a quarterly earnings call in the morning may be supporting a thousand gaming streams at night, and both expect flawless performance. This cross-influence is why live streaming keeps evolving even when users don’t notice any change.

Why the Future Will Depend on Consistency

As AI tools expand, as remote work continues, and as more industries move toward real-time platforms, the pressure on live streaming will only increase.

The next big improvements likely won’t be flashy. They’ll be structural: cleaner paths for data, faster response times during heavy usage, and new protections for everything that moves across a live feed.

Streaming has become one of the quiet pillars of the digital economy. The more people depend on it, the more the technology shifts from convenience to infrastructure.

Conclusion

Live streaming is no longer something reserved for entertainment. It supports financial markets, business operations, gaming platforms, identity verification, and daily communication. Its evolution has been shaped by the industries that needed it most. Often, without users realising the influence behind the scenes.

As more services depend on real-time interaction, streaming will continue moving from a background tool to a core part of how digital systems run. The better it gets, the more invisible it becomes and the more essential it is.

 

Ireland, world champion of mobile navigation in 2025!

According to the latest nPerf analysis, Ireland secures the world’s top position in mobile Internet browsing performance. The country ranks ahead of four other European nations, confirming the continent’s strong momentum in network performance.

“The countries that deployed 5G first are not necessarily the ones offering the fastest browsing experience” observes Renaud Keradec, CEO of nPerf.

Top 5 best mobile browsing performances in 2025.

Five European countries lead the global ranking

The study compares the loading time of the five most visited websites in each country. The results place Europe firmly at the top of the global leaderboard.

Ireland ranks first with a score of 79.13%, followed by the Netherlands at 78.61% and Slovakia at 78.01%. Slovenia records 76.99%, and Belgium 76.49%. A score of 100% corresponds to an instant webpage load, while 0% indicates that the page could not be loaded.

United States: Early 5G leadership does not guarantee the best experience

Notably, despite an early deployment of 5G as early as 2018, that is two years before most European countries, the United States does not appear in the top 5.

This gap can largely be attributed to the scale and heterogeneity of the territory: covering several million square kilometers is a significantly more complex challenge than upgrading a smaller country such as Ireland or Belgium. This disparity directly influences the quality and consistency of the mobile browsing experience.

Top 20 best mobile browsing performances in 2025.

A reliable snapshot of the user experience

nPerf data provides an accurate snapshot of real mobile browsing performance, measured using a consistent and uniform methodology. This study is based on tests conducted through the nPerf applications, relying exclusively on test volumes that ensure statistical reliability. The results highlight significant disparities between countries, at a time when global traffic continues to shift increasingly toward mobile.

 

 

How Tech Is Becoming A Prominent Team Member For Legal Teams

In the legal industry, time is everything. And it seems the days of teams spending long hours handling paperwork and manual processes are long gone. As businesses embrace digital technology and become more data-driven, legal teams are under increasing pressure to manage information faster and more effectively. Technology helps fill this gap, becoming an increasingly valuable support and, for many firms, a valued member of the team.

Saving time and money for greater efficiency

The role of a legal team goes beyond providing legal advice. For many businesses, legal departments help form business strategy, in addition to supporting governance and managing risk. Combined with a changing work environment, legal teams need tools that will allow them to work more efficiently, track decisions and access information quickly. While they may not have moved as swiftly as others, legal firms and teams are finally realising the benefits technology can bring.

The impact of technology

Modern legal technology can help with many day-to-day activities. From contract management to compliance tools, teams can process information faster than ever, using collaboration tools to improve visibility across different departments and avoid delays. 

Using AI and automation software, teams can save time on repetitive administrative tasks, allowing legal professionals to focus on higher-value work. With 80% of Irish SMBs set to adopt AI within the year, it seems legal teams are embracing a broader shift towards more effective ways of working, where technology supports decision-making rather than simply taking over traditional human roles. 

Using eDiscovery to benefit in-house teams

One of the most beneficial areas of technology for legal teams is eDiscovery for in-house corporate teams. While discovery may have been previously outsourced, this technology helps teams collect, search and review information to produce reports faster than ever before. For in-house teams, this helps provide greater security over data while boosting response times to keep costs low and maintain compliance. Strict data management is crucial for businesses and organisations, and keeping this information in-house can help remove additional layers of risk.

What’s next?

Legal technology will continue to evolve, becoming a valued team member that supports and enhances the work of firms and in-house teams. By focusing on better integration and tools that solve many common legal challenges, tech can become a partner to allow teams to stay agile. Firms must find ways to introduce this technology and embrace it, keeping up the pace with other business areas like marketing, research and accounting. 

Technology is no longer just a future consideration for legal teams; it can help shape day-to-day operations and save money and time. Efficiency is key for businesses, and the tools available now, alongside those that may be introduced in the future, can help teams work faster and smarter – saving time and money. Teams that put this technology to good use can discover the opportunities available, enhancing legal expertise and freeing up time to focus on the areas that bring value to the business instead. 

Quest Software Opens New Centre for Advanced AI Architecture in Ireland

Quest Software, a global leader in data management, cybersecurity, and platform modernization, today announced the opening of its new Centre for Advanced AI Architecture. The opening is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland. To learn more, visit quest.com.

AI adoption is increasing across every sector, and organizations need stronger foundations in data, security, and modern platforms. The new centre will play a central role in meeting these needs through applied research and development, and engineering work, to deliver market-leading and first-of-a-kind innovations that will help drive customer success and Quest growth.

The centre expands Quest’s global AI initiative and strengthens the company’s focus on helping customers succeed in the AI era. This includes a $350 million capital infusion announced earlier this year along with new executive leadership to support Quest’s growth. The planned investment in the Cork Centre for Advanced AI Architecture is a key part of that initiative and supports the company’s strategy across three key areas: trusted AI-ready data, AI-powered cybersecurity, and platform modernization to scale with AI demands. The centre will serve as a hub for applied research and development. Teams in Cork will work across AI engineering, data science, cybersecurity, and software development to advance these priorities and strengthen Quest’s market-leading products in these areas.

Michael McGrath, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection said: I am very pleased to join the team at Quest Software here in Cork to celebrate this significant investment in skills, talent, and jobs. The European Commission recognises the urgent need to expand Europe’s pool of AI expertise. That is why, a few months ago, we launched the AI Continent Action Plan — to train and attract more AI researchers and professionals, and to strengthen AI skills and literacy across our workforce.

The announcement aligns perfectly with that ambition. It strengthens Europe’s innovation capacity and is a strong endorsement of Cork and the wider Southwest region. It demonstrates the role Cork plays as a dynamic contributor to Europe’s digital future, and its importance for companies like Quest as they scale their European presence.”

Tim Page, CEO at Quest Software said: “This investment strengthens our growth and supports the work we are doing to advance our products for the AI era and help us deliver AI that customers can trust. By investing in technology and talent, and partnering with local universities and research institutions, we can help develop the next generation of AI and cybersecurity professionals.”

Peter Burke, TD, Minister for Enterprise Tourism and Employment said: “Quest Software’s decision to expand in Cork is a fantastic endorsement of Ireland’s reputation as a hub for innovation and talent. This investment will create high quality jobs and strengthen our technology ecosystem. The Government is committed to fostering an environment where companies like Quest can thrive, and to supporting long-term regional growth. The announcement is a clear signal of confidence in our workforce and enterprise strategy. I wish Quest Software every success in the future with the new Centre for Advanced AI Architecture.”

Dónal Travers, Executive Director, IDA Ireland said: “The opening by Quest Software of its Centre for Advanced AI Architecture, which is being announced, signifies the company’s vote of confidence in Ireland’s AI innovation environment. This project positions Quest at the forefront of Enterprise AI transformation, delivering technically differentiated solutions that offer global impact. I wish to congratulate the Quest team and assure them of IDA Ireland’s continued support and partnership.”

Quest’s investment and the creation of new roles will contribute to an economic impact in Cork and across Ireland. According to IDA Ireland, every 10 jobs created in IDA client companies support an additional eight jobs in the wider economy.

As part of its expansion plans with the new Centre for Advanced AI Architecture, Quest plans to collaborate with Irish universities to develop courses, training programs, and skills development opportunities focused on AI and cybersecurity for people interested in technology careers.

Ireland has become a leading location for AI research and skills. The country produces nearly 1,500 AI-related Masters graduates each year and has nearly doubled its PhD output in AI fields since 2019. Ireland was also the first country to develop an industry-driven nationwide Postgraduate Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence. This depth of talent and the active research environment were important factors in selecting Cork for the new centre.