Digital transformation needs to be a tide that raises every boat. But it starts with human instinct.
At the iconic Titanic Belfast centre’s ballroom – complete with a replica staircase from the sadly doomed Titanic – the promise of digital transformation was revealed in ways many would not expect.
The Virgin Media ‘Digital Evolution’ event proved that data does not have to be frightening or complicated, but could hold the keys to unlocking efficiencies.
It also revealed that artificial intelligence (AI) may be powerful, but it will never match humans for instinct.
The CEO of Virgin Media Ireland Tony Hanway revealed that the cable TV and broadband player was investing £3bn to connect 4m homes across Ireland and the UK.
“We have 50,000 premises in Northern Ireland and we are on track and have done the majority of those connections. These investments will create jobs and more importantly make Northern Ireland a prosperous, industrious place to be able to punch above its weight within the UK and beyond.”
Hanway said that Virgin Media’s investment in Northern Ireland was disproportionately larger than any part of the UK and Ireland.
Hanway said that it would be impossible to talk about the digital future without mentioning the looming Brexit.
“The island of Ireland is sitting at a marginal position at the edge of UK and Europe. Connectivity is incredibly important. Traditionally, our biggest handicap was our geographic position. But now we can overcome that handicap and bring ourselves closer to the world.
“As Brexit continues, even the sunniest Brexiteer must accept that the next five to 10 years as the UK detaches itself from the EU markets and seeks new ones it is not going to happen overnight. UK SMEs are going to have to get much more connected and find new markets,” Hanway warned.
While tech has the potential to change lives and raise all boats economically, Roseann Kelly from Women in Business (Northern Ireland) said that the digital world will need to be more inclusive. By leaving women out of opportunities, it means missing out on half of the population’s input into future solutions.
“The tech sector has a huge issue with diversity. Just 17pc of those working in tech in the UK are female and just one in six specialists are women. One in 10 leaders in tech are women.
“Female representation in the tech sector has stalled in the last 10 years.”
Kelly said that the lack of women in tech leadership positions is impacting on the industry’s overall talent supply, resulting in fewer young women believing they can aspire to careers in the sector.
“You can’t be what you can’t see,” she warned.
Dr Austin Tanney of Northern Ireland-based tech company Analytics Engines, showed how it was possible to tackle the healthcare crises in Ireland and Northern Ireland through data.
He said that the solution is not just arriving at best practices through digital transformation, but enabling a root and branch revolution in care.
Tanney said that part of the crisis is both the NHS and HSE’s inability to analyse their own data. A key factor is talent.
“Data science is one of the most popular jobs in the world right now and some can command a salary of $500,000. But how can the NHS compete with that if all it is prepared to offer a data scientist is £40,000 a year sterling?”
Illustrating how the power of data can lead to better approaches in care, Dr Tanney looked at the global problem of diabetes.
