The School of Computer Science and Statistics is proud to highlight the interdisciplinary contributions of Professor Declan O’Sullivan and Professor John Kelleher to national efforts at the intersection of technology and the humanities.

Professor O’Sullivan has been appointed to the newly restructured national advisory committee of DARIAH-IE, Ireland’s node in the pan-European Digital Research Infrastructure for the Arts and Humanities. Supported by Research Ireland, this relaunch aims to re-establish DARIAH-IE as a key resource for digitally enabled research in the arts and humanities. The advisory committee, chaired by Professor Jane Ohlmeyer and coordinated by Professor Jennifer Edmond (TCD), brings together technologists, scholars and cultural practitioners from across Ireland. (News – DARIAH-IE)

Both Professor O’Sullivan and Professor John Kelleher, Director of Research at the ADAPT Centre, also contributed to the “Generative AI and Historical Research” workshop in May 2025, part of the Voices project.

Professor Kelleher delivered the keynote, offering a clear, accessible introduction to how large language models (LLMs) work and how they can assist with tasks such as extracting names, dates and places from historical texts. While showcasing their potential, he also emphasised the risks posed by LLMs’ tendency to “hallucinate”, producing plausible but inaccurate content, raising essential questions about trust, provenance and scholarly rigour.

Professor O’Sullivan added a memorable insight by suggesting ‘AI’ be reframed as ‘Appearing Intelligent’, drawing attention to the illusion of understanding these models can create. He also encouraged greater sharing of tools, methods and even failures across disciplines and publics to deepen collective understanding. (At the Precipice of Possibility: Reflections on the Generative AI and Historical Research Workshop - VOICES)

These contributions reflect the School’s growing role in supporting collaborations that bridge the gap between technological innovation and humanities scholarship, ensuring Ireland remains at the forefront of responsible and impactful digital research.