Confey Community College in County Kildare have been crowned winners of the Microsoft Dream Space: brAIn_waves national competition.
Students from all over Ireland logged on to RTÉ Learn, before putting their knowledge to the test in the Microsoft Dream Space TV brAIn_waves series.
The competition encouraged students to harness their learnings from the series to create and submit their team’s AI For Good solution.
Five post-primary schools, representing counties Kildare, Tipperary and Dublin, made it through to the final, which was held in Microsoft’s Dream Space at its campus in Leopardstown. Teams tackled real-world concerns in their communities, explored how AI could address these issues, and developed their own AI for Good solutions.
You can see some of the highlights from the day in the video up top!
with our judges after winning the big prize!
Confey Community College in Leixlip, Kildare won the national competition for their project 'EcoWise AI’, an AI tool to support the public in reducing their carbon footprints by analysing their personal habits and suggesting personalised changes.
The competition runners-up, Presentation Secondary School in Clonmel, Tipperary, developed an innovative project called ‘Eco-mesh’, an AI-powered fishing net that identifies marine life, particularly endangered species, preventing accidental capture and supporting sustainable fishing practices.
Colaiste Mhuire Co-Ed, Thurles, Tipperary presented their ‘Open-SDETENN’ project, aiming to democratise self-driving technology through open-source development, making it more accessible and affordable.
Dublin’s Old Bawn Community School showcased their project ‘The Smart Bus’ utilising AI to optimise student transportation routes, in turn improving efficiency and environmental impact.
Grange Community College, in Donaghmede, Dublin, also presented a compelling project, ‘SupScholar’, leveraging AI to discreetly connect students with learning resources, while informing schools about student needs.
The competition builds on Microsoft’s commitment to ‘Skill Up Ireland’ for the era of AI by way of its national skilling programme. The programme includes a range of AI learning opportunities for young people in primary and post-primary education, as well as courses for graduates and mid-career professionals looking to upskill and specialise in AI.
Commenting on the announcement James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Leader and Vice-President Microsoft Global Operations Service Centre said: "Working together with RTÉ Learn on the brAIn_waves series has been instrumental in providing an engaging platform for students to develop their AI capabilities. The enthusiasm and innovative solutions presented by the participants throughout the competition underscores the importance of industry and education working together to foster the next generation of tech innovators. Congratulations to the winning team and all the participants for their outstanding contributions. We look forward to seeing how these young innovators will continue to shape the future with their remarkable talents."
Suzanne Kelly, Group Head of Childrens and Young Peoples Content in RTÈ said, "It was wonderful for RTÉ Learn to work again with our colleagues in Microsoft Dream Space to support the AI stars of the future. The considerable creativity on display from the next generation of students was inspiring as they presented compelling AI solutions to real-world issues. The brAIn_waves competition and series has helped to empower students to not just understand AI, but to become active participants in shaping its positive impact on the world around them. Congratulations to Confey Community College for their impressive EcoWise AI project and to all the participants for showcasing tremendous creativity and commitment through their projects."
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