Eilish O’Connor discusses her new role at Viatel and how Ireland’s strong technology ecosystem lends itself to AI development.
For seven years Eilish O’Connor worked as chief technology officer at the digital services platform Viatel. His multifaceted role focuses on building, operating and protecting Viatel’s technology infrastructure, ensuring stability, resilience and reliability. Now, a new job is in the offing, as he has been announced as the organization’s first-ever director of strategy and AI.
“It’s a time of incredible disruption for almost every industry and I don’t think organizations can afford not to think about AI when they’re thinking about strategy,” O’Connor said. SiliconRepublic.com.
“If you don’t make AI your future, you can be sure that you have a competitor, who you may not even know yet. real danger if not approached properly.” With this in mind, O’Connor explains that he will step back to consider the bigger picture.
He says, “The role is less about individual technology and more about how we combine strategy, data, people and emerging capabilities like AI to shape where the business goes next. It’s about identifying where we can create the greatest impact, how we differentiate ourselves in the market and how we embed innovation with commitment across the organization.”
By understanding what it takes to “move from idea to reality”, and being aware of the risks that come with technological change on a large scale, this idea, he notes, is essential in dealing with artificial intelligence. He explains, “It’s a transformative opportunity, but only if it’s about proper governance, security and purpose.
For the foreseeable future, O’Connor says his focus will be on the adoption of AI in a way that produces real value, is responsible and creates real impact, rather than just an experiment. He says that, while there is a lot of excitement about AI across the industry, you can’t ignore the risks if governance, security and people policies are forgotten.
“I also recognize the need for diverse voices to shape the way AI is designed, used and governed,” said O’Connor, explaining that AI is increasingly influencing how important decisions are made throughout society and if those systems are built without including enough women’s perspective, “we risk reinforcing existing biases” rather than challenging them.
She says, “Having more women involved, not just as users, but as leaders, designers and decision makers, is essential if AI is to be truly fair, inclusive and representative.”
In addition, he believes that Ireland is an ideal place to further explore the dominance of AI and its potential.
Strong foundations
“Ireland is in a really interesting place when it comes to AI,” said O’Connor. “We have a strong technology ecosystem, highly skilled workforce and extensive experience in hosting and managing global technology companies.
“Recently, Ireland has taken a leadership position how AI is controlledespecially for its early and proactive approach in implementing the EU AI Law. That focus on reliable and trustworthy AI is a real strength for the country. “
He finds that Ireland has the potential to lead not just in the adoption of AI, but in the way it is adopted, particularly by “balancing innovation and trust, control and progress and ambition and responsibility”.
He says, “If we continue to invest in skills, increase participation and focus on real business outcomes, Ireland can play a key role in shaping the future of AI in Europe and beyond.”
Over the next nine months, O’Connor expects the pace of change to accelerate. The opportunity is huge, he believes, especially amid some of the exciting new developments in the AI space.
“It’s an incredibly competitive environment”, he finds, adding that “the speed at which these companies can innovate and adapt is starting to challenge the established players”.
What is important to note, explains O’Connor, is that the change in the workplace is already there, “AI is not a future concept, it is shaping the way we work and make decisions now”. He says, “That can feel uncomfortable, but it’s also a huge opportunity if people choose to lean in rather than back down.”
He encourages everyone, regardless of skill level, to use their voice in the AI conversation.
“If a small group ends up designing and managing these systems, we risk making old choices into new technologies. We need more ideas, more confidence and more people who are willing to ask questions and challenge their ideas.
“AI is as much a paradigm shift as it is a technological shift. The sooner more people engage with it and think about it, the better the results will be, for businesses, society and the next generation coming into the industry.”
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