Ellen Gunning, CEO and Founder of Mettacomms, recently attended the John Hume Memorial Lecture, sponsored by the John and Pat Hume Foundation, at the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) in Dublin. Although a member, much of Ellen’s interaction with the IIEA is typically online. This in-person event, however, proved to be particularly compelling. The keynote speaker was Simon Coveney, the former Deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste) of Ireland and a seasoned government minister, who spoke on the pressing threats to peace.
During his presentation, Coveney outlined key challenges facing democracy and the European Union. However, Ellen noticed one notable omission: the growing threat posed by artificial intelligence systems and technology. Taking the opportunity to ask a question from the floor, she highlighted this concern. Coveney responded by noting that he had recently cited AI and technology as one of the five major threats to democracy in a different speech earlier in the week.
Following the lecture, Ellen engaged in a thought-provoking discussion with Coveney and Mark Durkan, former Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. The conversation focused on the increasing threats to democracy, particularly the difficulty of discerning reliable information in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world. Ellen emphasized the very real fears shared by both businesses and individuals regarding the overwhelming volume and speed of data, as well as the inability to consistently fact-check sources.
Ellen highlighted a key point: democracy relies on access to accurate, trustworthy information to empower citizens to make informed decisions and to influence their representatives in parliament. This reliability, however, is increasingly under threat. It is this challenge that Mettacomms seeks to address.
As Ellen explained, Mettacomms serves as a shield against fake news, bots, citizen journalism, and AI hallucinations by providing verified, reliable, and trustworthy sources of information across political, economic, academic, public opinion, and media spheres. While it doesn’t provide answers—that remains the job of humans—it ensures that decision-makers have access to accurate source material, which is vital for sustaining a healthy democracy.
