Acuity’s Cork Digital Excellence Centre to Provide Regional Boost

At the beginning of September, Penrose Dock became the home of Acuity’s Digital Excellence Centre, marking a momentous period for the city. As Ireland cements its place as a tech hub, it is important for the industry to decouple from Dublin and establish satellite locations across the country. The opening of this new outpost for the industrial technology company is a perfect example of the sector’s reach.

This new centre of excellence is expected to create 100 jobs in the area, with roles in software engineering, AI, and data science. This could take around three years to come to fruition, but it will put the region on the map for its importance in a key economic sector for the country. 

As we move rapidly toward a fully digital world in which AI is an integral part of day-to-day life, this could future-proof the area and ensure that Cork remains an important part of Ireland’s economic output. Here is a look at the trends in digital technology and how a skilled region can help support the industry nationwide.

A Nation Increasingly Attached to Their Devices

One of the biggest ways that life has changed in Ireland in the last decade or two is the proliferation of mobile devices. According to data collected by the CSO, there are more mobile connections in the country than there are people. Additionally, nearly 100% of internet users access the internet using a smartphone.

This can be seen across all forms of media, too. Increasingly, entertainment is being consumed on mobile devices. Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime are creating content specifically developed for mobile consumption. Filmmakers are also considering how their projects will be viewed on smaller devices.

The mobile revolution has even affected gaming, especially the online casino industry. The mobile iGaming industry has seen casinos develop brand-new games, such as crash casino games, which are more like arcade games than the traditional table games like blackjack or roulette you would expect to find at these sites.

AI: The Next Frontier for Technology in Ireland

There has long been talk about how digital tech is the new industrial revolution, and AI is certainly in a good position to occupy this role. It represents a massive overhaul in how we work, potentially replacing certain aspects of many roles and meaning that an entirely new set of skills will be needed in the workforce. Ireland is a country that is well aware of this trend.

The government has already discussed the need to establish AI in the 2026 budget, ensuring that enough funds are allocated to develop the sector. This comes fresh on the back of industry leaders calling for investment in education related to AI and the development of technical skills. If significant investment is not forthcoming, many believe the nation could fall behind as a leader in the global tech sector.

The budget will likely provide a plan for Ireland’s future AI investment, which highlights the importance of developments like Acuity’s centre of excellence. It shows that work is afoot across the country to provide for a future that it can’t afford to miss out on. If it can help develop the latest generation of digital employees from a local pool of highly educated workers, it will put Cork on the map now and for many years to come.

The Latest in Cork Business Development 

This centre of excellence is just another step in decentralising the industry in the country and boosting regional power in Cork. There’s the Pathway to Innovate from Skillnet Innovation Exchange and IRDG Innovation Skillnet, which aims to promote SMEs in the area, with a focus on digital technology.

The 2020s have been somewhat uncertain for Cork as remote working has become more common and multinationals have restructured their approach to creating an Irish workforce. The opening of such an innovative workplace will help ensure that the 2030s bring in a brighter future.

SP