The Power of Data

European Digital Innovation Hub supports digital transformation journeys of public and private organisations

The ENTIRE European Digital Innovation Hub supports the digital transformation journeys of public and private organisations throughout Ireland, with fully funded options available through the European Recovery and Resilience Fund and Enterprise Ireland.

From large enterprises to small local businesses, the ability to effectively harness digital technologies is no longer just a competitive advantage, it is necessary for survival and growth.

Tyndall National Institute, based at University College Cork, is a leading European deep-tech research centre in integrated ICT (information and communications technology) materials, devices, circuits and systems.

European Digital Innovation Hub drives transformation Headquartered at Tyndall, the ENTIRE European Digital Innovation Hub is one of 228 European digital innovation hubs across Europe supporting digital transformation for public and private organisations.

Senior Head of Group for Bioelectronics and Director of the ENTIRE Digital Innovation Hub, Dr Paul Galvin, explains: “We are leveraging the research infrastructure, technology platforms and expertise of Tyndall together with that of our partners in the University College Cork, Munster Technological University (Cork), the Walton Institute (Waterford) and Skillnet Ireland to support the digital transformation journeys of various public sector organisations and small or medium-sized enterprises.

“We offer a range of digital innovation services, starting with an initial digital maturity assessment and ranging from Internet of Things (IoT) Smart Sensors, IoT networks and high-performance computing, cybersecurity, AI and data analytics to digital skills onboarding. These supports to SMEs, startups and public sector organisations provide the basis for greater competitiveness and efficiency by leveraging digital technologies in their business processes, products or services.”

Full funding opportunities available Organisations may be struggling to fully utilise digital technologies, or they may not have the resources to invest in training and services. “However, we have fully funded programmes available, supported by the European Recovery and Resilience Fund through Enterprise Ireland, which are fully compliant with state aid rules,” says Dr Galvin.

“These services include evaluating the suitability of new digital technologies before investment through our ‘Test-before-invest’ services. We want to raise awareness of this timely opportunity to support SMEs’ and all public sector organisations’ digital transformation,” he adds.

2024 milestones empowering leaders to revolutionise Irish healthcare through data and tech

While Ireland has lagged in digital health, 2024 has been a notable year for key milestones, to empower leaders to enable transformation for a more sustainable, effective and patient-centred healthcare system.

In today’s rapidly evolving world, with complex long-term challenges facing healthcare systems, unlocking the power of data and technology implementation has never been more critical.

Digital health roadmap

The Department of Health’s ‘Digital for Care’ 2030 framework and the HSE’s digital health implementation roadmap are significant steps forward. HealthTech Ireland members welcome this and were greatly encouraged by the consultative period with us, the Department of Health and the HSE. It reflects a shared vision for a patientcentric health service, integrating the best of what digital technologies and AI can deliver. The focus now includes implementation and accelerating delivery to reap the benefits for patients — something we are focused on.

Legislation for progression

Another impactful milestone is the Health Information Bill, set to revolutionise health data management and use. It provides a legal framework for the protection and use of health information, ensuring data is used ethically and securely, enabling digital health records and primary use by the HSE. Critically, to truly deliver for patients, we await publication of the expanded Health Information Act, covering secondary use to include research, predictive health and population health.

The European Health Data Space (EHDS) emphasises the importance of data in healthcare, aiming to facilitate cross-border healthcare and research

Project Manager: Martha Clarke martha.clarke@mediaplanet.com

and enable data-sharing between countries, fostering collaboration and innovation. Success requires interoperability and standardisation of electronic health records. Ireland’s nascent digital maturity offers a unique opportunity to swiftly harmonise data standards and health IT software, avoiding interoperability costs faced by other nations.

The role of leadership

We are navigating this fourth industrial revolution in uncertain times. Klaus Schwab, World Economic Forum, notes: “There has never been a time of greater promise or greater peril.” Strong, collaborative and informed leadership is pivotal, ensuring guard rails are in place to provide confidence to deliver all that adoption of scalable innovation can bring, and these milestones support this.

Benefits to the system through the power of data are undeniable. Delivering this patientcentred approach will create an equitable system with better access, allowing more patients to stay at home. Streamlined services will identify those in need, support teams, provide more informed decision-making, increase efficiencies and reduce waste. Importantly, effective leadership, supportive legislation and innovative frameworks will harness the power of data to finally unlock the full potential of data to transform our healthcare system for the better.

Susan Treacy CEO, HealthTech Ireland Dr Paul Galvin

A unique ecosystem harnesses the power of data and AI to empower Ireland

Experts across many disciplines are applying data and AI to tackle significant global challenges in every sector from agriculture to health.

University College Dublin (UCD) is a unique ecosystem of research and innovation, learning and development, with centres such as CeADAR, Ireland’s Centre for Applied AI and flagship programmes such as the CeADAR European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH), to empower society and industry to benefit from data and AI.

Cross-sectoral collaboration

UCD has a legacy in advancing data sciences and artificial intelligence (AI), having some of Ireland’s pioneers within Mathematics and Statistics and Computer Science on faculty, alongside some of the most promising rising talent at the frontiers of fundamental and applied research. The university’s unique ecosystem brings together experts from diverse disciplines and backgrounds who together are harnessing the power of data and AI to make breakthroughs across sectors from precision medicine, genetics and cancer research to fintech, quantum computing, climate services, healthcare and housing and even creative industries.

As this exciting area continues to evolve, UCD is supporting the research that will maximise its benefits for all society, working to develop responsible, sustainable, trustworthy AI. We will continue to foster inter- and cross-disciplinary research and develop new talent to grow our capabilities further and push the boundaries of this science and technology.

Empowering industry and society

As Ireland’s national centre for AI, CeADAR is a notfor-profit centre of innovation and applied R&D in AI, machine learning (ML) and data analytics based at UCD, which supports businesses and organisations in Ireland to leverage the benefits of AI and ML. We work with a range of organisations — startups and scaleups, established businesses, government and public sector, research and academia — and try to bridge the worlds of applied research in AI and its commercial deployment.

We offer independent, unbiased advice and solutions that are not aligned with any technology stack. We’re a designated EDIH with deep technical expertise across all areas of AI and ML, that can build partnerships and consortiums using our EU-wide network.

CeADAR has AI and data scientists with a unique combination of strong academic credentials, research experience, deep knowledge of their specialities and experience in developing applied solutions. With this talent and experience, we can offer a range of expert services including strategy development.

We are also engaged in active research projects with academic and industry partners across Ireland and Europe, working at the cutting edge of applied AI and data science in a diverse range of fields including medtech, Earth observation, food manufacturing, media and marketing.

How Ireland is ushering in a data-enabled cancer research revolution

A digital cancer research centre is harnessing the power of data to drive innovative diagnostics, treatments and improve patient outcomes, leading to groundbreaking insights into disease mechanisms and treatment.

Across Ireland, approximately 45,000 new cancer cases are diagnosed every year, a number which is steadily increasing due to an ageing population. As cancer incidence rises, the need for more effective and precise treatment modalities has reached a critical level. Advances in modern cancer medicine are driven by data. It is integral to every aspect of cancer care, from informing diagnosis and treatment to enabling research and shaping health policies. The rapidly expanding Limerick Digital Cancer Research Centre (LDCRC) is at the forefront of leveraging data to drive innovation in cancer research.

Collaborative data science

In collaboration with Queen’s University Belfast, LDCRC researchers are demonstrating the importance of an ‘all-island’ approach to sharing data, harnessing the integration of diverse data sets to improve patient outcomes. The All-Island eHealth Hub for Cancer initiative is developing software and frameworks to harmonise, unify and connect clinical data. The initiative is pooling together data and current knowledge to enhance understanding of cancer patterns, leading to more targeted, tailored, innovative solutions in

cancer care and future benefits from AI-assisted clinical decisions support tools.

This collaborative spirit underscores the LDCRC’s commitment to utilising data not just for local advancement but for broader, more inclusive, health solutions.

Zooming in on cancer

Established in 2021 with the goal of using data to improve our understanding of cancer biology and find better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat the disease, the LDCRC have brought regional cancer centres together with biologists, computer scientists, technologists, engineers, statisticians, data scientists, and experts in genetic, genomics and bioinformatics.

The LDCRC are advancing diagnostic precision using digital pathology at the single-cell level to ‘zoom in’ on cancer and accurately identify and quantify individual cells in cancer. Professor Paul Murray and his lab’ are using high-powered microscopy and artificial intelligence to digitally profile cancerous tissues.

Bioinformatics analyses complex biological data

Such data requires expert data analysis. Bioinformatics — the

intersection of biology, computer science and statistics — is the analysis of such data and is at the heart of the research centre’s mission. Enabling researchers to decode complex biological data and driving groundbreaking insights into disease mechanisms and treatment, bioinformatics is a rapidly growing field. The LDCRC are ensuring that Ireland remains at the forefront of global bioinformatics innovation. With substantial support from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), Dr Maria Doyle and Professor Aedín Culhane are spearheading efforts to expand bioinformatics expertise globally. They are leaders in the Bioconductor project, an open-source software project that provides tools for analysing genomic data. Used by hundreds of thousands of researchers worldwide, Bioconductor equips scientists with the tools and knowledge needed to analyse genomic data. Professor Culhane states: “Our goal is to share knowledge and skills to empower researchers worldwide to tackle big health challenges.”

Aedín Culhane Professor of Biomedical Sciences (Cancer Genomics), School of Medicine, LDCRC, EHS

Sponsored

Professor Kate Robson Brown UCD Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact

Doctor John Lonsdale CEO of CeADAR, Ireland’s Centre for Applied AI, based at UCD

WRITTEN BY

Bethany Cooper

Company develops innovative healthcare solutions with data-driven AI

Leveraging AI, predictive models and data insights, professionals are transforming healthcare to enhance patient outcomes, streamline operations and make care more accessible worldwide.

In September 2021, Carelon Global Solutions Ireland launched with a promise of 60 jobs at its Limerick headquarters. The goal was to recruit expert Data Scientists and Artificial Intelligence engineers working together, aiming to make healthcare simple, affordable and accessible. Less than three years later, they have. The company, which is supported by IDA, has 300 highly skilled associates.

Securing seamless operations in healthcare

The success of the operation has been such that it has grown, but the purpose remains the same — making healthcare operations streamlined and seamless, so its customers can focus on care.

Ultimately, those customers are 100 million plus people, who are served by Carelon and its parent company, Elevance Health, one of the largest healthcare companies in the US, a company transforming itself from a traditional health benefits organization into a lifetime trusted health partner with a whole health approach.

So, Carelon Global Solutions Ireland is playing an important role in this pursuit of advancing the health of the healthcare system.

Limitless impact through AI-enabled healthcare

It’s a noble pursuit for the 300 Irish associates who are challenged and excited every day by their ‘Think Limitless’ ethos. As Chief Country Executive for Ireland John Patrick Shaw states: “The opportunity to impact positively on healthcare is limitless.”

They are boldly going about making this transformation happen by innovating with the development of powerful technologies, including AI, to create solutions that help associates solve healthcare’s greatest challenges.

The route is clear. Data powers the AI tools, predictive models, and insights that unlock the potential for exponential uplift in healthcare efficiencies.

Professionals solving everyday challenges

challenges facing the industry today,” says Shaw. “That’s what excites us every day.”

The Dundalk native has spent three decades working in digital transformation, including with some of the most innovative, entrepreneurial Irish companies. Yet, he feels, that because of technological advancements, we are now at an intersection that is going to lead to exponential gain in healthcare.

The opportunity is huge for us to transform healthcare. We work with cutting-edge technology and have hired the very best people to do this.

Driven by a talented team with a purpose None of this, however, he says, can happen without talented people. “At Carelon, we bring together today’s brightest minds to change how healthcare works. It is all about simplifying complexities to positively improve the health of humanity and we are fortunate to have some of the most talented people working in health tech in Ireland,” explains Shaw.

“We are an international team of like-minded innovators in healthcare, operations and technology that simplifies and solves some of the most complex

“We believe we have been able to attract and retain top talent because of the culture we have created — something we work very hard on. We are proud to have diversity representation in Carelon with 35 nations represented, which in my view is critical for innovation to really work. But they also, of course, come here because of our purpose.

John Shaw Chief Country Executive, Carelon Global Solutions Ireland

How quality data equips AI in healthcare

Shaw says that the company is driven by an opportunity to help bring the healthcare system together in new ways, to create something better and more connected.

“AI-driven tools can be game-changing for healthcare at an individual level but also overall healthcare outcomes, but only if they are given the right data and those tools are built and used in a responsible manner. Additionally, the quality of the data that feeds AI algorithms must be the top priority,” explains Shaw.

Data governance ensures reliable AI

Data governance protocols are also imperative, Shaw says, as they provide the structure, policies and procedures essential to managing data consistently and accurately, ensuring AI and GenAI models are trustworthy and reliable.

positive impact and growth behind us, we are really happy with where we are. It was not easy, but we kept reminding ourselves of our purpose — about the need to constantly ‘think limitless.’

“Timing was a big factor, too. We launched our operations when COVID still had a vice-like grip on the country. If anything, COVID taught us a lot about our health and about the ability of technology to advance healthcare,” admits Shaw.

We can uncover the evidence to achieve both improved outcomes for people and lowered costs.

“But we had people who saw what we were trying to do and wanted to come on board. We have also had incredible support from the IDA at a national level and from the Limerick region, which really knows how to put its arm around an opportunity. There is a level of joinedup thinking across these that has also supported what we are trying to do,” he concludes. “It feels like the right time, right technology, right place.”

“The opportunity is huge for us to transform healthcare. We work with cutting-edge technology and have hired the very best people to do this. These are people who get our value system and our purpose. They know the power they have every day to make a difference. This is what drives us,” adds Shaw.

Leveraging global challenges for growth

The road travelled hasn’t been an easy one; he says that is what makes it worthwhile. “With almost three years of really

Spread sponsored by Carelon

How the OSS mechanism provides certainty for Irish technology companies

Learn about the One Stop Shop (OSS) and the unique role and authority of the Lead Supervisory Authority (LSA) under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

This 2024 marks the sixth anniversary of the implementation of one of the strongest privacy and security laws in the world: the European Union’s GDPR. The GDPR regulates how the personal data of individuals in the European Union (EU) can be transferred and processed and defines obligations, rights, methods and sanctions to ensure compliance across the EU.

OSS simplifies GDPR compliance navigation

The OSS mechanism is a core concept of the GDPR. It ensures a simpler and clearer process for individuals to exercise their privacy rights. The OSS allows for a company operating in multiple EU countries to interact with

Tackling research security challenges in an interconnected digital age

Recent news highlights security threats impacting research. Although these issues occurred outside Ireland, the interconnected nature of modern research requires universities, funders and the Government to mitigate this emerging global threat.

The Irish Government has boosted the budget for higher education to over €4 billion in 2024, aiming to enhance research and teaching capabilities.

Collaboration and research security

Importantly, as collaboration between universities from different countries has become easier, what guarantees are there that research investments align with national security? A recent report exposed a controversial research collaboration between the US, UK, Australia and an Iranian university with military ties, which led to advancements in drone technology.

The research raised concerns from security and international politics experts.

Enhanced research security insights

Such research risks can be avoided

a singular Data Protection Authority (DPA) where it is headquartered — a Lead Supervisory Authority (LSA) — avoiding the need to deal with multiple DPAs.

The benefits of the OSS are clear; it reduces the administrative burden for organisations and makes it simpler for individuals to exercise their rights. It provides businesses operating crossborder (small, medium and large), as well as data subjects, with legal certainty regarding the competent regulator. It ensures both a consistent process and application of the GDPR.

Maintaining OSS crucial for future of GDPR

The importance of the OSS is increasingly apparent. However, recent EU-level trilogue discussions regarding the GDPR cross-border enforcement

regulation require all stakeholders to rally behind the OSS and the unique role of the LSA to ensure they are neither undermined nor diluted. A strong level of compliance can be ensured through a continuous and open dialogue with the LSA, based on mutual trust.

Any changes may complicate or delay the resolution of data subject complaints or requests, and any degradation of the OSS would introduce inconsistency. This makes it more challenging for organisations to predict and meet their compliance obligations possibly leading to a competitive disadvantage for Europe.

Ireland’s role in upholding GDPR enhances credibility

Ireland plays an important role in upholding the core concepts of the GDPR. Our position as a global technology hub means that the Irish DPA will remain at the forefront of GDPR enforcement. Ireland’s attractiveness and competitiveness depend on the OSS mechanism to foster the predictability necessary for the creation of a business-friendly environment.

The next review of the GDPR in 2028 should build on the recent review and comprehensively evaluate the data protection landscape by assessing the impact of recently adopted legislation.

with the use of Dimensions Research Security. Dimensions is the world’s largest collection of linked research data. Institutions’ research activities and the activities of individual researchers can be collated, linked and cross-referenced quickly and easily using Dimensions Research Security. It uses a simple dashboard that delivers analytics and insights to grant the user control over the data that is most important to them, covering a range of security issues. Identifying these insights increases awareness of risks related to individuals, their collaborators and their funding sources. This enhances due diligence, verification of disclosures and strategic decision-making and strengthens data governance for research security. Dimensions Research Security’s information is crucial for researchers

to understand potential risks to their work and sponsors. Addressing issues like compliance, foreign influence and intellectual property theft can safeguard everyone’s interests.

Impact of artificial intelligence Research security goes beyond just collaborations; recent AI advancements show that AI can now write significant research papers and perform complex tasks, potentially saving time and money. However, this raises concerns about research validity, integrity and accountability.

Digital Science President Steve Leitch says that as AI and its multifaceted uses continue to grow rapidly, governments and agencies must collaborate with AI solution providers to drive progress for all concerned. To support governments, funders and researchers, Digital Science launched Dimensions Research GPT in February 2024. Built on Dimensions, it provides answers from its extensive database. Dimensions also introduced a feature, which delivers summarisations to all search queries on the database.

Integrations will be key AI offers diverse applications but isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. When used responsibly, it can greatly enhance efficiency and research workflows. However, concerns about AI, especially in government, include over-reliance, biases, job losses and potential misuse. As research security gains importance, collaborating with trusted technology partners is crucial for mitigating risks.

Caroline Shanahan Executive, Technology Ireland

Austin Dowling Senior Executive, Technology Ireland

Simon Linacre Head of Content, Brand & Press, Digital Science

Steve Leicht President, Digital Science

The data imperative: fuelling AI innovation in business

In the AI era, data has become companies’ most valuable asset. As AI technologies advance, the demand for high-quality, well-organised data intensifies.

Paradoxically, while data generation soars, we face scarcity as large language models (LLMs) consume information at unprecedented rates.

Strategic data management

rapid development of a COVID-19 vaccine, partly facilitated by synthetic data in modelling and testing, demonstrates how this approach can accelerate critical research and development processes.

Interviews with over 600 AI leaders reveal a crucial insight: properly tagged data is essential for AI success. Companies failing to organise their data risk falling behind in AI-driven innovation.

JPMorgan Chase exemplifies this approach. Their CEO recently highlighted how AI is used across the business, from content to contracts. By investing heavily in data infrastructure and creating a centralised data lake, the bank has developed AI-powered fraud detection and personalised financial advice services, showcasing the value of well-organised data in finance.

From raw data to actionable intelligence

AI-driven data analysis tools are streamlining decisionmaking processes by automatically identifying meeting attendees, discussion points and next steps. Unilever has leveraged similar AI-powered analytics to process customer interactions, social media and market trends, enabling rapid identification of consumer preferences and agile product development strategies.

The promise of synthetic data

Generative AI offers a solution to data scarcity through synthetic datasets, complementing existing proprietary data and opening new avenues for innovation. Moderna’s

Interdisciplinary collaboration,

research and the future of innovation across Ireland

One of Ireland’s top educational institutions is shaping the future of digital transformation, entrepreneurship and leadership with cross-discipline partnerships, projects and research driving excellence for the next generation.

Dr Aidan Mooney, Head of Department, Computer Science, highlights the work that the department is doing in diverse research fields, including computer vision and robotics, AI, programming, computer science education, digital holography and geocomputation.

Diverse research with hands-on learning

Getting started on the data journey

For businesses embarking on data transformation, a structured approach can yield significant results:

1. Conduct a data audit

2. Define clear objectives aligned with business goals

3. Start with small, scalable pilot projects

4. Invest in talent and upskilling

5. Leverage cloud technologies for enhanced data capabilities

This targeted approach yielded insights that informed product development and personalised marketing, boosting customer engagement and sales.

Best practices for the data-driven future

As businesses navigate this data-rich landscape, key best practices emerge: implement meticulous data tagging systems; seize opportunities to collect relevant data; ensure regulatory compliance (eg. EU AI Act); prioritise privacy-bydesign in data governance.

In this new era, data isn’t just an asset — it’s the lifeblood of AI-driven success. Companies that recognise data’s true value and implement robust strategies to harness its power will thrive. As AI reshapes industries, effective data management and leverage will be crucial differentiators in the competitive landscape.

“At Maynooth, we have a large department with a diverse range of research interests, and our students are getting hands-on experience working across these fields, with teaching that is research-driven and industry-aligned,” says Dr Mooney.

“We were one of the first departments to set up a computer science centre — an extra service to support all students, with advanced supports in place to keep students engaged. Outreach is extremely important to us, we help to educate primary and secondary level students, through initiatives like PACT,

and we regularly champion Women in STEM initiatives.”

With a range of postgraduate and higher diploma programmes, students with and without a background in computer science can retrain, upskill and progress to master’s degrees. The department also offers the first-of-itskind computational thinking degree, combining computer science, maths and philosophy.

School of Business

According to Prof Joseph Coughlan, Head of Maynooth University School of Business: “Our mission is to develop critical thinkers and create impactful knowledge for our community. Our approach to education is both ‘research-informed’ and ‘practice-engaged’.”

These values are evident in impactful master’s programmes such as our MSc in IT-Enabled Innovation and the ‘Leading Digital Transformation in Organisations’ microcredential,

designed to provide the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary to build a sustainable and successful organisational digital transformation programme.

Driving digital transformation with data Markus Helfert, Director of EMPOWER and Innovation Value Institute (IVI), discusses the key programmes aimed at helping both small and large organisations in their digital transformation journey: “The Innovation Value Institute at Maynooth University is a multidisciplinary research institute focused on digital transformation, data and service innovation.”

IVI supports the university’s ambition to empower its research community to imagine and create better futures for all. “We look at data governance, automating data management and creating value out of data ,” adds Helfert. “In collaboration with four leading SFI centres, our EMPOWER programme helps to establish best data governance practices on this topic. We bring expertise and understanding from different IVI projects together, creating frameworks and roadmaps that offer solutions.”

Moreover, the institute’s Rethink Redesign programme helps businesses drive digital transformation and is funded through the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Voucher scheme. “We are not only advancing research but transforming how businesses and entrepreneurs innovate in today’s digital landscape,” concludes Helfert.

Mark Kelly Founder AI Ireland

Markus Helfert Director of EMPOWER & IVI, Maynooth University.

Aidan Mooney Head of Department, School of Computer Science, Maynooth University

Joseph Coughlan Head of School of Business, Maynooth University

WRITTEN BY Bethany Cooper

Sponsored by Maynooth University

Overcoming manufacturing data barriers to leverage AI and

drive digital transformation

Many organisations see AI as a catalyst for transforming their competitiveness. Manufacturers in particular are looking to position themselves to avoid missing out.

Across manufacturing, many companies are in the early stages of their ‘digital transformation’ journey. Instead of being seen as an elixir, efforts in AI should form part of a bespoke, agile digital transformation strategy.

AI investment challenge

Despite a marked increase in AI initiatives, return on investment is mixed. Generative AI, for example, is ranked lowest for deployed solutions and second-last for return on investment.1 One major factor in the lacklustre performance is the need for most AI solutions to access large quantities of specially prepared data to provide reliable outputs.

Would artificial intelligence replace humans in evidence synthesis projects?

Evidence synthesis is essential in healthcare decision-making, and while AI can enhance efficiency, human expertise remains crucial for reliable decisions.

Carla Perrotta

Associate Professor, School of Public Health

Physiotherapy and Sports Sciences, UCD

Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning, SPHSS, UCD

Director of Evidence

Synthesis and Health Economics programmes, SPHSS, UCD, Director of Health

Data Analytics, SPHSS, UCD

EMany manufacturers simply do not have enough data ready for AI to use to make meaningful predictions. An astounding 95% of manufacturing organisations still use paper-based processes, with 50% using manual spreadsheets for most of their operations.2 More companies lack the digital skills, tools and broader digital infrastructure. The path to realise AI’s potential is therefore coupled with an organisation’s broader digital transformation strategy.

The manufacturing industry is a data powerhouse The good news is that manufacturing sites are incredibly data-rich places. There is more manufacturing data potentially available to be utilised

vidence synthesis refers to the systematic process of gathering, evaluating and integrating data from scientific studies to answer healthcarerelated questions. It is a fundamental part of current medical practice where decisions must be based on scientifically sound, transparent and reliable evidence.

Why is evidence synthesis important in healthcare?

From determining the effectiveness of yearly COVID-19 vaccinations, to assessing exercise prescriptions in primary care, to evaluating whether governments should fund a newly approved drug for cystic fibrosis, evidence synthesis is critical. It informs decision-making by providing recommendations based on an exhaustive analysis of scientific evidence.

by AI than any other sector. A typical equipment PLC controller on the factory floor generates a significant 100GB of data each year, while data from machine sensors are the fastest growing subset of all data worldwide. With tens of millions of PLCs integrated into production lines globally, AI has the potential to achieve extraordinary advancements for manufacturing organisations.

The major challenge is this data can be siloed across a fragmented network of equipment, systems databases, etc. These can be difficult to access, utilise, integrate, scale and secure. These industrial data are often left untouched for many (often legitimate) reasons, such as cybersecurity and IP protection. The opportunity cost of keeping this conservative approach is quickly rising.

Understanding how to safely and efficiently collect and prepare data for AI to tackle manufacturing problems — such as predicting equipment failures, improving output or anticipating supply chain shortages — can help the technology meet expectations.

Industrial data opportunity

Without a digital transformation strategy and infrastructure in place, AI success will be confined to limited use cases. The inflexion point in successful AI implementation will come when more of the businesses’ own data can be readily used for making faster, smarter decisions to solve real problems that deliver real change.

Yet, the rapid and continuous production of scientific research c reates its own challenges. Today, studies are published globally at an unprecedented pace, making it difficult for methodologists and decision-makers to keep up. Evidence synthesis is not only time-consuming but also resourceintensive. For trained professionals to complete a systematic review takes 18 to 24 months on average. Translating this evidence into actionable decisions for healthcare policies and practices can take even longer, resulting in that the evidence-to-action process often lags behind the demands of modern healthcare.

How AI is changing evidence synthesis Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly through Natural Language Processing (NLP), is increasingly being explored as a tool to improve the evidence

synthesis process. At the 2024 Global Evidence Summit in Prague, there was widespread interest in NLP’s potential. Presentations and discussions centred on the promise of AI for assisting with tasks like searching for and screening relevant studies, and extracting key data for analysis.

AI’s potential to automate repetitive tasks can significantly reduce time and effort expenditure during the evidence synthesis process. Properly trained algorithms are efficiently handling large volumes of research data and offering a way to manage the flood of information that characterises health research. But NLP has limitations. While AI performs well with binary tasks, it struggles with more complex tasks where context is crucial.

AI and human collaboration in evidence synthesis

Research teams, startups and other companies are investing heavily in integrating AI into the evidence synthesis process, suggesting that we will see more practical applications in time. Increased use of AI has the potential to improve the efficiency of evidence synthesis by managing vast amounts of data fast.

Still, human expertise remains essential. Only skilled professionals can design search strategies, anticipate potential bias, and appraise, integrate and interpret the evidence safely and transparently.

Alan Kavanagh Senior Digitalisation Programme Manager, Irish Manufacturing Research