Artificial Intelligence and machine learning have been used in some extremely innovative ways to solve new challenges, so naturally Tourism NI is investigating the possibility of using these emerging technologies to boost tourism in Northern Ireland. The group plans to invest in five phase 1 proof-of-concept projects this year exploring the use of AI in tourism The projects are expected to solve one or more of the following challenges: - "Empower visitors to enjoy seamless journeys via, for example, personalised itineraries, contextual recommendations and virtual assistance" - "Regional dispersal: Encourage visitors to find and encounter new experiences beyond the traditional honeypots" - "Revenue growth: Encourage visitors to extend the length of their visits and, importantly, spend more in the local economy while they are here" - "Provide new insights into how Northern Ireland’s visitors identify, book and experience tourist activities" The AI Challenge is and will close at noon on January 21st. Up to £100,000 will be invested in the companies via the Small Business Research Initiative, and those that demonstrate feasibility and have promising results will move on to get phase 2 funding. All applications should address the commercial sustainability of the product, and how it will handle GDPR and data security.
Tourism NI is offering £100,000 ($130,000) in funding for innovative AI or machine learning projects that can help boost tourism in Northern Ireland. The AI Challenge is seeking up to five companies to share the money, and is looking for entries that offer solutions to challenges such as how to encourage visitors to explore beyond the usual tourist areas, how to inspire them to take longer visits and spend more in the local economy, and how to provide fresh insights into the way visitors select and experience activities. The deadline for applications is 21 January.