Convening for its fourth year, University of Galway’s Business Summit 2026 approached the question: how can local and global businesses navigate the Business of AI? Key talking points included artificial intelligence for the public good, democratising opportunities and catalysing business models, and investors’ perspectives on AI ventures and AI in regulated markets such as healthcare, MedTech, and financial services.

On a brisk morning in late March, business leaders from national and international companies joined together with leading professors from University of Galway in Bailey Allen Hall. It was the right time to discuss challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for artificial intelligence in enterprise.

Attended by Senator Gerard Caughwell and Mayor of Galway, Mike Cubbard, the event kicked off with MC Dr John Caulfield, who welcomed guests and introduced Professor David Burn, President of University of Galway. David thanked attendees, speakers, supporters, and partners, and said: “In a period of technological change, it is essential that sustainable practices and ethical business models progress alongside innovation. The insights shared at this summit are critical as we navigate both the risks and opportunities presented by developments in AI.”

Professor Burn was followed by Professor Karena Yan, Dean of J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics. Karena shared insights on the role of AI in shaping the future of business, delving into the day’s theming and setting the tone for fruitful discourse throughout the event by saying: “In a landscape defined by uncertainty and opportunity, the Summit delivers evidence-based insights that decision‑makers can act on today.”

Before breaking for tea, attendees heard from keynote speakers Majella Mungovan (Meta) and John Clancy (Galvia AI).

Majella Mungovan, Vice President of Financial Operations, Meta, leads a world-class global organization of 400 FTEs and vendors across 10 countries from her base in Dublin. With over 20 years of experience in finance, Majella has played a crucial role in Meta’s rapid growth, helping the company reach $100 billion in revenue faster than any other in history. She is passionate about building a culture of innovation and diversity within her team and is always looking for ways to incorporate new technologies such as Machine Learning & AI with traditional people skills and capabilities.

John Clancy, Founder and CEO, Galvia AI, spearheads Galvia’s mission to make Artificial Intelligence accessible to any organisation, big or small; meaning that organisations don’t need huge resources to reap the benefits of AI-powered platforms; giving teams the freedom to focus on what matters most – value creation and customer engagement. John is a board member of the Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum to advise the Government of Ireland in driving industry adoption of Artificial Intelligence, and he has won numerous awards for innovation in AI, winning AI Person of the Year 2025.

Both keynote speakers are B.Comm. graduates of University of Galway. During the opening keynote, Majella Mungovan emphasised the importance of keeping the human in the loop, and the growing need for “TASTE” skills – tone, authenticity, strategy, truth and empathy. In his keynote, AI expert John Clancy described agentic AI as the new “GPS of business”, capable of drawing on data from digital systems and translating it into clear, actionable instructions. As customer bases grow, he noted the increasing demand for larger, more resource‑intensive AI models. Clancy went on to share insights from his own work on addressing these challenges while minimising AI hallucinations – using vertical small language models (SLMs) designed for specific tasks.

Highlights throughout the day included panel discussions on International Scaling in Regulated Markets, chaired by Professor Faizan Ali, Established Professor of Marketing, University of Galway, and AI: The Investor Perspective, chaired by Professor Alan Ahearne, Professor of Economics, University of Galway.

Panellists included notable names such as Deirdre Giblin (Datavant), Joe Power (Medtronic), Nicola Flannery (Deloitte), Norah Casey (Investor and Entrepreneur, formerly of Dragons’ Den), and John O’Sullivan (Act Venture Capital).

Furthering topics of use, ethics, and implementation, the afternoon saw a spirited fireside talk on Research Frontiers: Informing the Business of AI with Fergal O’Connor (Buymedia), Dr Noel Carroll (Business Information Systems), and Professor Karyn Morrissey (Professor of Economics).

After a day full of rousing and insightful debate, the event was brought to an optimistic close with reflections delivered by Karen Ronan, CEO of the Galway Chamber of Commerce.

The Business Summit received leading support from AIB, partnership from Galway Chamber and itag, with further support by Data2Sustain, Platform94, and European Digital Innovation Hubs Network.