Abstract

As organisations like research centres, institutes and consortiums grow and expand, different dissemination, exploitation and communication initiatives will appeal to distinct target audiences. Implementing an overarching visual identity for a programme or organisation has a multitude of benefits that include:
- raised profile for researchers and their associated projects, centres or institutions
- access to policymakers
- increased recognition
- established trust in an organisation
- potential new avenues of research and engagement

This poster will take the example of #DiscussAI [1], implemented as an umbrella identity to oversee a national conversation on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Ireland.

Launched in September 2021, #DiscussAI has been established as the overarching brand of the Education and Public Engagement team in the ADAPT Research Centre (a research centre comprising eight universities across Ireland). #DiscussAI constitutes a major programme of public events that has already engaged over 40,000 members of the Irish public in learning and conversations around how AI impacts all our lives and society. #DiscussAI aligns with ADAPT’s research focus on human-centric AI, putting into practice its imperative for society to play an active role in the development trajectory of AI.

A range of initiatives has been tailored to the differing interests and needs of individuals, schools and communities. These include the ADAPT Citizens’ Think-Ins series of public discussion forums, the AI in My Life workshop series for teenagers, and the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad in which secondary school students develop their own strategies for solving problems in languages from around the globe.

#DiscussAI aims to enable the Irish public to:
- learn about AI and acquire relevant skills in areas including data literacy;
- participate in a national conversation on AI;
- have a voice on the vital area of AI research.
- help strengthen citizens’ and scientists’ familiarity with, and acceptance of, diverse points of view related to AI.

Incorporating the umbrella identity has had positive outcomes such as: being cited in the implementation report of Ireland’s ‘AI - Here for Good’ government policy [2] and being invited to provide input into the National Youth Assembly on AI [3]. #DiscussAI has served as a highly-effective call-to-action for stakeholders to engage with AI research and innovation. Through engagement initiatives, #DiscussAI has unearthed ideas for future research. Additionally, the programme has provided greater visibility for ADAPT internationally and nationally through representation at peer-reviewed conferences.

A cohesive identity can be beneficial to research-performing organisations by enhancing recognition and credibility amongst target audiences, raising researcher and institutional profiles nationally and internationally, building trust and paving the way for novel research and engagement.

[1] https://www.adaptcentre.ie/discussAI/
[2] https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/43e54-progress-report-on-implementation-of-the-national-ai-strategy-ai-here-for-good/
[3] https://www.adaptcentre.ie/news-and-events/adapt-joins-the-national-youth-assembly-on-artificial-intelligence/