Rinn AI leads first ELLIS unit in Ireland, linking national AI research community to Europe's leading AI network.
29 October 2026: Ireland has joined ELLIS, the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems, with the launch of ELLIS Unit Ireland. The new Unit is the first in the country and one of five announced this week, bringing the network to 49 Units across Europe.
ELLIS is a pan-European network that aims to keep Europe at the forefront of AI research. Its Units are local hubs where top researchers work closely together, share ideas across disciplines and pursue long-term research agendas.
Alongside Ireland, ELLIS this week welcomed new Units in Norway, Côte d'Azur (France), Hamburg (Germany) and Innsbruck (Austria). Ireland and Norway are the two countries joining the network for the first time.
“Every new Unit went through a rigorous evaluation by ELLIS Fellows, and each brings something distinctive to the network,”
“Welcoming the first Units in Ireland and Norway brings us closer to a truly European network of excellence in AI research. We look forward to working with our new colleagues to build a strong, collaborative research community.”
Josef Šivic, ELLIS Fellow and member of the ELLIS Units Committee
ELLIS Unit Ireland will advance fundamental AI research, especially in core machine learning and related fields such as computer vision, natural language processing and information retrieval.
The Unit is part of Rinn AI, Ireland's national centre for research and innovation in data science and AI, funded by Research Ireland. Rinn AI spans 15 research performing organisations, including all 13 of Ireland's universities, and over 288 principal investigators. Through this national network, the Unit brings AI and data science together with the arts, humanities, social sciences and health research.
The ELLIS UNIT in Ireland will be led by Rinn AI director Professor Noel O’Connor.
“Joining ELLIS is a significant moment for AI research in Ireland,”
“Through Rinn AI, we have brought together researchers from every university in the country, and ELLIS Unit Ireland now connects that community directly to Europe’s leading network in machine learning. It opens new doors for collaboration, gives our researchers and students a platform on the European stage, and helps ensure the AI we develop is shaped by the people it serves.”
Professor Noel O’Connor, Director, Rinn AI
The Unit will work with domain experts, policymakers and societal stakeholders so that AI solutions are relevant to the people who use them and address real-world challenges. It will also bring together researchers from across Ireland and train the next generation of ML and AI researchers, connecting Irish talent with the wider ELLIS community.
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About ELLIS
ELLIS (European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems) is a pan-European AI network of excellence founded in 2018. It builds upon machine learning as the driving force of modern AI and aims to secure lasting international leadership in AI developed in Europe. By fostering collaboration among top researchers and creating a multi-centric research laboratory, ELLIS ensures that Europe remains at the forefront of cutting-edge AI innovation. The network has grown to include 47 ELLIS Sites at world-class institutions across 19 countries, 16 specialised research programs, and a pan-European PhD/Postdoc program. Through these efforts, ELLIS shapes the future of artificial intelligence in alignment with Europe’s values of openness, collaboration, and societal impact. ellis.eu
About Rinn Artificial Intelligence
Part of the Rinn Network from Research Ireland, Rinn Artificial Intelligence is Ireland's national AI research institute. With a network comprising all of Ireland's universities, a research institute and an institute of technology, Rinn AI combines the high level expertise of almost 300 co-applicants and Principal Investigators across a wide range of disciplines in the Irish data research ecosystem. rinn-ai.ie