First ever study of wartime deepfakes reveals their impact on news media

A first ever study of deepfake videos reveals their impact on news media and outlines implications for social media companies, media organisations and governments. Deepfakes are artificially manipulated audio-visual material. Most deepfake videos involve the production of a fake ‘face’ constructed by Artificial Intelligence, that is merged with an authentic video, in order to create...

New Director to Lead Lero

Leagan Gaeilge A leading Canadian academic has been appointed to a key role at University of Limerick and Lero, the world leading Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Research Centre for Software hosted by UL. Professor Lionel Briand, who has 30 years of experience on trustworthy software and AI research, has been appointed to the role of...

Lero leads national University Open Source Software project

Lero’s Dr Patrick Healy (University of Limerick) will lead one of 13 new consortia-based projects designed to advance the implementation of the National Action Plan for Open Research 2022-2030 and to build national capacity and infrastructure for open research. The project, Managing Open Source Software in Irish Universities [MOSS-I], is valued at €100,000 and funded...

Dublin and Sligo students release ‘smart’ pebbles to track climate change impacts

Primary- and second-level students are this week placing 300 specially adapted RFID-enabled pebbles at Killiney Beach (Dublin) and Raghly Beach (Sligo) in a project to track coastal erosion. The innovative project aims to strengthen coastal communities’ ability to deal with the impacts of climate change using digital technologies. Led by Dr Chiara Cocco and Dr...

Professor Brian Fitzgerald honoured to receive Professor Rory O’Connor Prize for Outstanding Service to Lero

Professor Brian Fitzgerald, Director of Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, was presented with a special award in recognition of his contributions to the Centre at the Lero Summit in Athlone.  A further nine researchers from three leading Irish universities were awarded Lero Director’s Prizes at the ceremony.  Professor of Software Engineering...

Lero wins international brand award

Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, was named the winner of a Silver Stevie® Award in theRe-Branding/Brand Renovation of the Year category in the 20th Annual International Business Awards®.  More than 3,700 nominations from organisations of all sizes across 61 nations were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories.  According...

Lero researchers seek the public’s views on AI and software

Will artificial intelligence (AI) end civilisation? Researchers atLero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software and University College Cork, are seeking help determining what the public believes and knows about AI and software more generally. Psychologist Dr Sarah Robinson, a senior postdoctoral researcher with Lero, is asking members of the public to take part...

Deepfake videos prompt false memories of films in half of participants

In a new study, deepfake video clips of movie remakes that don’t actually exist prompted participants to falsely remember the films — but simple text descriptions of the fake movies prompted similar false memory rates. Dr Gillian Murphy of University College Cork and Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, and colleagues presented...

Working on software is working for society

Profile: Dr Irum Inayat, Lero and UCC researcher, discusses the value of interdisciplinary research and industry insights to understand the realities of software development. First published by Silicon Republic, on 06 June, 2023. “Public engagement is a key for sharing research with the community,” says Dr Irum Inayat. Inayat’s work is interdisciplinary and explores the...

Event: Writing about your Research for Media

Lero is hosting a 3-hour hands-on communications workshop, facilitated by science communicator and freelance journalist Dr Claire O’Connell. This event is open to all Lero members. Thursday, June 29 10am to 1pm Online (MS Teams link included in registration confirmation email). Register now