Moate woman shortlisted for national AI award
Moate native Louise McCormack is one of four people who have been shortlisted for a major national award honouring pioneering figures in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Ireland.
It was announced on Monday that the local woman is in contention for the 'AI Person of the Year' accolade at the 2026 AI Awards, which are being held in Dublin on November 17.
A researcher at the ADAPT centre and University of Galway, Louise is also founder of the Irish Alliance for Trustworthy AI.
The 'AI Person of the Year' award is designed to celebrate "AI pioneers who are making outstanding individual contributions in the industry," and Louise has been shortlisted in recognition of her work in trustworthy AI and responsible Al governance.
She explained that her work focuses on helping organisations understand and put into practice the principles of transparency, accountability and responsible Al.
Earlier this year, her commitment to civic engagement saw her participate, alongside President Catherine Connolly's sister Margaret Connolly, in the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla.
Commenting on being shortlisted for the 'AI Person of the Year' award, Louise said: "I was raised to understand that we have a responsibility to the people around us. We need to regulate Al.
"We cannot allow the people who delivered us the technology we have now, algorithms designed to be addictive that cause quantifiable harm to our society, to lead the Al era, in particular without regulations.
"Our smartphones are addictive because the people who design the apps we use, designed them to have addictive Al algorithms.
"The technology is only getting more powerful, and we all need to put our phones down and realise the type of world we are allowing tech leaders to build for our children.
"This is a serious turning point for our country, and we cannot simply sit by and allow this to continue. We owe ourselves and each other more," she said.
Louise outlined how, through her research, she explores ways in which ethical principles and international standards can be translated into practical approaches to Al governance.
The Irish Alliance for Trustworthy Al was established to encourage discussion and collaboration around responsible Al, bringing together perspectives from research, industry, policy and civil society.
Since 2019, Louise has received international recognition for her work in artificial intelligence, including awards for AI innovation and successful chatbot projects.
Louise is one of four finalists for 'Al Person of the Year', alongside Melissa Proxenos of Brightbeam, Pat Bolger of Herdwatch and entrepreneur Tony Corrigan.
The Al Awards 2026 will recognise achievements across 15 categories celebrating contributions to Ireland's growing Al sector on November 17 at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, on Golden Lane, Dublin 8.