Insight SFI Research Centre at NUI Galway joins forces with Avaya for AI research

The Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics at NUI Galway has joined forces with US-headquartered Avaya, a global leader in solutions to enhance and simplify communications and collaboration, in a new collaborative research programme to develop and test the next generation of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The research programme will explore the development and deployment of new types of machine learning AI that is expected to deliver more advanced automation and data mining in contact centre applications.
The joint research can help Avaya implement smarter and faster AI capabilities in its communications and collaboration solutions, to deliver exceptional customer experiences and improve operational efficiency.

Professor Mathieu d’Aquin, Site Director for Insight NUI Galway and Principal Investigator on the project, said: “Hundreds of millions of people around the world are consumers of ever-improving AI, developed in the hope of making their experiences better while simultaneously improving business efficiency. Essentially the research we will conduct and systems we will test, thanks to the partnership with Avaya, is all part of making those improvements.”

Mike Conroy, vice-president of R&D at Avaya, said: “Our plan in partnering with Insight, one of the largest dedicated Analytics & AI Research centres in Europe, is to develop next-generation customer experience through better real-time insights and context powered by new AI methods.

By partnering in this project with Insight at NUI Galway, we can help our customers and end-users realise even greater levels of augmented AI experience across seamlessly blended automated and assisted customer engagement channels.”

Professor Mark Ferguson, Science Foundation Ireland Director General and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland welcomed the announcement.

He said: “Insight SFI Research Centre for data analytics is part of the world-leading SFI Research Centre network which develops industry partnerships and promotes collaborative research with Irish academic institutions, stimulating valuable knowledge exchange. This elevates Ireland’s international reputation for research excellence with impact while developing a competitive edge in emerging technologies with real-world business applications. We look forward to the opportunities that this collaboration will create.”