Northern Ireland Takes the Lead in Responsible AI with New AICC Hub
The Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre (AICC) has launched Northern Ireland’s first Responsible AI Hub – a groundbreaking online resource designed to help businesses, policymakers, and individuals understand, adopt, and apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) responsibly.
Overview of the Responsible AI Hub
Developed by the AICC – a collaborative initiative led by Ulster University in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast – and spearheaded by Tadhg Hickey, Head of AI and Digital Ethics Policy, the Hub is built on one simple principle: responsible AI is everyone’s responsibility. Whether you’re completely new to AI or already developing and deploying AI solutions, the Hub provides practical, accessible tools and guidance to help users ‘be good with AI’.
Supported by Invest Northern Ireland and the Department for the Economy, the Responsible AI Hub brings together clear guidance, ethical frameworks, and practical governance tools, all designed to make responsible AI accessible to everyone. By helping organisations integrate good governance from the outset, the Hub enables faster, safer innovation and reduces the risk of costly retrofits or regulatory breaches later on.
Resources Available
From business leaders and policymakers to developers, researchers, and the general public, the Hub offers step-by-step support to help people understand what responsible AI means and how to put it into practice.
Among the resources are a Data Fact Sheet Developer, Harm Assessments, an Idea Testing Tool, an AI Policy Builder, and a suite of Project Governance Tools, all created by AICC’s in-house team of applied researchers and data scientists. These tools are already being embedded across SME collaborations to promote responsible and transparent AI development in Northern Ireland.
Quotes from Key Figures
Tadhg Hickey, Head of AI and Digital Ethics Policy at AICC, emphasized the Hub’s purpose: “We built the Responsible AI Hub because AI shouldn’t feel out of reach. Whether you’re curious about what responsible AI means or designing complex AI solutions, this Hub gives you the confidence, language, and tools to make good choices. Responsible AI isn’t just for data scientists – it’s for everyone. The more people who understand and apply these principles, the more we can build trust and unlock AI’s potential for good.”
David Crozier CBE, Director of the AICC, added: “The Responsible AI Hub is about building a culture where innovation and integrity go hand in hand. It empowers businesses, individuals, and communities to be confident and capable with AI, strengthening Northern Ireland’s position as a global leader in trusted, human-centred innovation. This Hub will help local businesses adopt AI not only quickly but responsibly and productively.”
Anne Beggs, Chief Commercial Officer at Invest Northern Ireland, stated: “The development of AICC’s Responsible AI Hub directly supports our business strategy, which prioritises accelerating innovation and fostering collaboration as part of our role to support City and Growth Deals project delivery. It will help Northern Ireland’s businesses and innovators embrace AI in ways that are not only productive and competitive but also safe, inclusive, and ethical. By equipping organisations with the tools to innovate with integrity, we are laying the foundations for a world-class, responsible digital economy.”
AICC’s Impact and Future Goals
Since its establishment, the AICC has rapidly become the driving force behind responsible AI adoption in Northern Ireland. In just over a year, it has assembled a team of 19 experts across Belfast and Derry~Londonderry, engaged more than 100 SMEs through its flagship Transformer Programme, supported 260 postgraduate scholars, and delivered AI training to over 360 professionals.
With its remit now extended to 2029, the AICC is set to expand its impact – accelerating innovation, strengthening AI skills, and helping to establish Northern Ireland as a global exemplar of responsible and effective AI adoption.
The Responsible AI Hub is live now at aicc.co/responsibleai.
