AICON Belfast, hosted by Kainos in collaboration with Deloitte and Danske Bank, has unveiled AICON After-Hours, a new initiative created to extend the conversation on artificial intelligence, technology, and innovation beyond its flagship annual conference in October.
The first in the series of AICON After-Hours events will take place at Kainos, on Wednesday 19th November 2025.
AICON Belfast 2025 took place on Thursday 2 October at Titanic Belfast, with a programme focused on highlighting how AI is rapidly reshaping industries and society. Now in its seventh year, AICON has firmly established itself as Ireland’s largest and most influential AI conference, drawing delegates from across the island as well as national and international speakers.
Dr Stephen Spinelli Jr., President of Babson College in Boston – again this year ranked Number 2 university in the United States in The Wall Street Journal listing – delivered the keynote address at AICON Belfast 2025, emphasising how entrepreneurship education can restore stability in a turbulent world.
Building on the conference’s success, the new AICON After-Hours series has been introduced to build stronger community connections and spark additional opportunities for collaboration throughout the year.
The AICON After-Hours series will include three exclusive evening meet-ups - each designed as a relaxed yet high-value space for networking and knowledge sharing across Northern Ireland’s thriving tech and innovation ecosystem.
Each session will showcase a curated line-up of local talent alongside special guest speakers from the UK, Europe, the US, and beyond, who will join virtually to share global insights with a uniquely local twist.
Gareth Workman, Chief AI Officer, Kainos, said:
“The future of AI must be human-centric, shaped around people, not just technology. AICON After-Hours builds on that vision with three exclusive evening events designed to strengthen community connections and spark collaboration.
“With a local foundation and a global perspective, AICON After-Hours will bring together talent and ideas to explore how AI can drive progress that truly benefits society.”
The After-Hours series is the latest addition to the AICON Belfast programme, which has established itself as a leading platform for debate, discovery, and collaboration in artificial intelligence and digital innovation.
The After-Hours series will be hosted by AICON’s sponsors Kainos, Deloitte, and Danske Bank.
Stephen McMaster, partner and Engineering Chief Technology Officer at Deloitte UK, said:
“The After-Hours initiative will create valuable connections across technology and business communities and help shape AI conversations into delivery. Our teams at Deloitte are supporting businesses across Northern Ireland with digital transformation and harnessing the power of AI responsibly to drive innovation and efficiency. We look forward to engaging with the AI community both locally and globally to drive the safe adoption of AI.”
Kevin Heavern, Head of Marketing, Danske Bank said:
“AI is already starting to change how we live and work, and the potential to transform the economy is enormous. At Danske Bank we’re using AI to improve things for our customers and colleagues, but we know we are only scratching the surface.
To thrive in this new era, businesses need to build the skills and knowledge to stay ahead. That’s why we’re pleased to support the After-Hours events, which will help local businesses share ideas and learn from some of the best minds in AI.”
Sync NI's Summer 2025 magazine celebrates women in tech across Ireland as we continue to encourage more women to enter the thriving sector and address the current gender imbalance. Read the Summer 2025 Sync NI Magazine online for free here.
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