The Road Ahead: How AI and Digital Twins Will Transform How Ireland Understands Itself and the World

Guest post by Rob Morrison, Head of Technology, Esri Ireland

AI has dominated headlines, but while much of the focus has been on chatbots, another important shift is taking place. AI is quietly transforming Geographic Information Systems (digital mapping and location-based technology) and Digital Twin technology (a digital version of a real place, asset or piece of infrastructure).

At this year’s Esri User Conference, one message stood out: mapping is becoming a way to understand what is happening in the world in real time, predict what could happen next and help organisations respond faster. For Ireland, the implications could be significant.

For decades, mapping has helped Irish organisations establish what happened and where. By combining digital mapping with AI and Digital Twins, they can establish what is happening now, what will happen next and, most importantly, what they should do about it. This shift has moved mapping from being reactive to proactive. Instead of static maps, Irish organisations can now create systems that are constantly updated as new information becomes available. AI can then analyse that information, identify risks and highlight what needs attention.

There is a misconception that AI could replace mapping technology, but in reality, the rise of AI has made trusted location data more valuable. AI is only as reliable as the information behind it. We all know that when AI doesn’t have the data to back up a prompt, it can “hallucinate”. Many Irish organisations, including local authorities, utilities and emergency services, have spent years building accurate geographic datasets, and that investment is now paying off.

With trusted digital mapping data behind it, AI can analyse imagery to identify changes in the landscape and spot damaged infrastructure across thousands of locations. Work that might once have taken weeks can now be done so much faster.

Digital Twins take this a step further, as their value comes from their connection to what’s happening in the real world. Sensors, drones, satellite imagery and connected devices can continuously feed new information into a model, giving life to a digital version of a real place, asset or piece of infrastructure. AI can then analyse that information, identify problems and predict where attention may be needed. Add digital mapping technology, and the model gains the geographic context it needs to be genuinely valuable. Together, these technologies can create living models that evolve alongside the places and infrastructure they represent.

Ireland is very well placed to benefit from these developments due to the accurate datasets that have been cultivated. As a country, we are in the throes of attempting to modernise critical infrastructure, build more housing, improve environmental monitoring and prepare for the growing effects of climate change. All of these challenges have one thing in common: location.

Decisions about where to build homes, how to maintain electricity networks, where to improve transport or how to protect biodiversity ultimately come down to geography. AI allows Irish organisations to process much larger amounts of information and develop sharper insights. Digital mapping ensures those insights stay grounded in trusted information about real places and not “hallucinations”.

Emergency management is a good example of what these technologies could look like working in tandem. Before a storm, authorities could model which Irish towns are most at risk, which roads could flood and where emergency resources should be placed in advance. As the storm hits, weather information, sensors, drone imagery and reports from crews on the ground could continually update a Digital Twin.

AI could help identify flooded roads, damaged power lines and other emerging risks as conditions change. Decision-makers could then work from a clearer live picture, allowing emergency vehicles to be directed where they are needed most. Afterwards, aerial imagery could help assess damage and support faster repairs and recovery.

We are entering an era where maps can do much more than tell us the history of things. Now they can show us the present and the future. The combination of AI, digital mapping and Digital Twins represents a different way for organisations to understand the world around them. For Ireland, the opportunity is to combine AI with the trusted geographic information Irish organisations have built up over decades, to make better decisions about our communities, infrastructure and economy.

This is our superpower that could mean better planning, faster responses to emergencies and smarter use of limited resources. The Irish organisations that invest in building those foundations now will be set to reap the rewards, and to guide the rest through whatever comes next.

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