‘A tool nobody trusts or uses doesn’t deliver anything’

Michael Cronin, co-founder and managing director of OpenSky, a data and AI governance company based in Naas, Ireland, speaks about the importance of his company's Managed AI Framework. This service is designed to assist public sector organizations in deploying AI responsibly and reliably at scale. OpenSky's framework closes the gap between AI pilots and live services, providing the necessary security, governance, and ongoing management needed to achieve this.

The framework operates on four pillars: scale, integration, adoption, and risk/safety/oversight. Cronin emphasizes the importance of governance throughout the service model, starting with the desired outcome and measurable service, connecting it to existing systems and data, assisting staff in adopting the new tool, and running it as a managed service with ongoing monitoring of performance, accuracy, and cost.

Cronin highlights the unique accountability requirements of the public sector, where decisions need to be explained and defended. The Managed AI Framework caters to this by factoring in regulations such as the EU AI Act, GDPR, and NIS2. This service becomes increasingly crucial as demand on public services grows and the national Digital and AI Strategy sets ambitious targets.

Cronin, an industry veteran with over 30 years of experience, expresses optimism about Ireland's deep-tech sector. He credits the country's strong research institutions, talented workforce, and growing reputation in AI governance for this. However, he identifies a challenge for many SMEs: the lack of a dedicated research function to turn research into commercial products and services.

OpenSky aims to bridge this gap, working with partners such as Enterprise Ireland, CeADAR, the Alan Turing Institute, and the University of Ulster to deliver real services, including an uptake intelligence service supporting cervical cancer elimination across Europe.

To support Irish deep-tech companies' growth, Cronin suggests several practical steps, including simpler IP terms, allowing SMEs to lead research programs, emphasizing industrial PhDs, and focusing on skills development, such as apprenticeships in AI operations. These steps aim to empower SMEs and foster innovation in the Irish deep-tech sector.