Mark Hopkins, General Manager at Dell Technologies Ireland and Northern Ireland
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming one of the most transformative forces of our time, accelerating human progress and reshaping how we live, work, and care for one another.
Nowhere is this impact more profound than in healthcare. As Northern Ireland’s healthcare system continues to face operational and financial pressures, the need for smarter, more scalable solutions has never been more urgent.
AI and Generative AI (GenAI) are emerging as powerful tools to meet these challenges – transforming how care is delivered, how clinicians work, and how patients experience their healthcare journey.
From automating administrative tasks to enabling precision diagnostics and personalised treatment plans, AI is already making a tangible impact. GenAI, in particular, is unlocking new value from unstructured data such as doctors’ notes, diagnostic images, emails, and more – helping healthcare providers streamline operations, enhance clinical decision-making, and improve patient engagement.
But to fully realise these benefits, organisations must invest in the right infrastructure, data strategy, and governance frameworks.
At Dell Technologies, we are at the forefront of this healthcare revolution. By working closely with healthcare and academic institutions across the island of Ireland, including leading universities and research centres in Northern Ireland, we’re helping to bring the latest innovations into real-world practice.
Real-Time Insights Driving Innovation
Dell Technologies is working with the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) to power an advanced AI platform at its Software Research Institute. Built on Dell PowerEdge servers, the platform supports researchers with real-time analysis of large, complex datasets—enabling advanced research across cybersecurity, healthcare, sustainability, and robotics, and boosting productivity by up to 50%.
The new AI platform also supports several cutting-edge research projects undertaken by TUS and funded by Horizon Europe. It enables the development of AI-powered tools such as LLM-based chatbots for elderly care and robotics using imitation learning. With its cyber-resilient architecture and scalable design, the Dell-powered infrastructure is helping TUS researchers simulate complex scenarios, identify vulnerabilities, and accelerate innovation across critical sectors.
Learning from Best Practice in Digital Health
While Dell works closely with organisations across Ireland to unlock the power of AI to drive healthcare innovation, there is much to learn from successful digital health initiatives elsewhere on this island.
Designed to create a single electronic health and social care record for every citizen, Encompass is a perfect example of how streamline care is delivered across all five Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland. By replacing outdated paper systems with a unified digital infrastructure, the programme is improving care coordination, enhancing patient safety, and enabling real-time access to critical health information – both in clinical settings and in the community.
Vital importance of digital skills
Technology alone cannot transform healthcare; people are at the heart of innovation. As AI and other digital tools become more common, healthcare professionals need the skills and confidence to use them effectively. From interpreting AI-driven diagnostics to applying predictive analytics in care planning, clinicians, nurses, and administrators must be equipped with both technical knowledge and digital literacy.
In Northern Ireland, ongoing investment in training and upskilling is essential not only to maximise the impact of AI but also to ensure that patient care remains safe, ethical, and person-centred. A digitally capable workforce allows healthcare organisations to turn advanced insights into better clinical decisions, more efficient operations, and more personalised care experiences.
To support healthcare workers across the island of Ireland, Dell Technologies previously rolled out the ‘Digital Futures in Healthcare’ series, which provided insights into connected health, emerging technologies, next-generation diagnostics, and the transformation of primary care management—all while emphasising the protection of patient data.
Taking a strategic approach
As we look to the future, scaling AI and GenAI in healthcare requires more than just technological ambition and know-how. It demands strategic intent and responsible implementation. Healthcare leaders across Ireland must begin with clear objectives, whether that’s improving patient outcomes, reducing administrative burden, or enhancing operational efficiency. Achieving these goals depends on investing in secure, scalable infrastructure that supports AI across the core, edge, and cloud.
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Equally critical is strong governance. Ensuring the ethical use of patient data, maintaining regulatory compliance, and fostering transparency in AI decision-making are essential to building trust and long-term success.
At Dell Technologies, we work closely with healthcare providers across Northern Ireland to co-design solutions that align with clinical priorities and deliver measurable impact. From personalised care to predictive analytics, we’re helping to shape a future where technology empowers clinicians and improves lives.
The future of healthcare is not just about treating illness, it’s about predicting and preventing it. With AI and GenAI, we can move from reactive to proactive care, tailoring treatments to each individual’s genetic profile and health history. This is no longer a distant vision—it’s already taking shape. By combining cutting-edge technology with deep healthcare partnerships across Northern Ireland and beyond, we aim to deliver a brighter, more personalised future for every patient.
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.
