# Dell Technologies and Institute of Directors Ireland put AI at the centre of the competitiveness agenda > Source: > Published: 2026-07-07 15:00:19+00:00 More than 140 senior business leaders and board members gathered at The Alex Hotel in Dublin recently for a special Institute of Directors (IoD) Ireland event, held in partnership with [Dell Technologies](http://www,dell.com), for a discussion on how AI is shaping long-term growth and competitiveness. Taking place at a timely moment as [Ireland](https://irishtechnews.ie/?s=Ireland) prepares for its upcoming EU Presidency, the conversation also highlighted the opportunity to strengthen Ireland’s leadership in the responsible development and deployment of AI, while addressing the gap between adoption and formal strategy. The conversation also underscored Ireland’s opportunity to lead in the responsible development and deployment of AI. That ambition is particularly relevant given recent IoD Ireland research, which found that 78% consider AI important or critical to competitiveness in their sector, and 61% of organisations have already implemented AI to some degree. Yet despite growing adoption, only 33% have a formal AI strategy in place. The event featured a panel of expert speakers including Mary O’Connor, Chief Information Officer at ESB; Dr Barry Scannell, Member of the Government’s AI Advisory Council and Partner at William Fry; and Neil Bowden, AI Business Development Executive at Dell Technologies. The discussion was moderated by David Codd CDir, Non-Executive Director. Speaking at the event, Colin Boyd, Data Centre Solutions Sales Director at Dell Technologies Ireland, said: “AI isn’t a future concept anymore, it’s a boardroom priority. As Ireland takes up the EU Presidency, we’ve a real chance to show leadership in how AI is developed, governed and deployed responsibly, and to future-proof our own economy while we’re at it. One thing came through loud and clear: the conversation among Irish business leaders has shifted. It’s no longer about whether you’ve adopted AI, but how well you’re turning it into real business value. The businesses seeing the greatest returns aren’t adopting AI for its own sake. They’re using it to solve real challenges and are driving productivity, empowering people, and unlocking new revenue.” Caroline Spillane CDir, Chief Executive of IoD Ireland, said: “AI is increasingly recognised by Irish leaders as a key driver of competitiveness. As Ireland commences the EU Presidency, it is encouraging to see competitiveness at the heart of the agenda. Effective AI governance will be critical to ensuring organisations can realise the benefits of AI while maintaining public trust and resilience. Through our AI Governance Toolkit and partnerships, such as this with Dell Technologies, we help directors strengthen AI oversight and equip boards to lead confidently in a rapidly evolving landscape” For more information, visit: [https://www.iodireland.ie/resources-media/media-hub/news/ai-impact-economic-growth-news](https://www.iodireland.ie/resources-media/media-hub/news/ai-impact-economic-growth-news) ``` More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland’s No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland’s No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you’d like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at [email protected] now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at [email protected] now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. ```