Meet Brendan, the new AI tour guide that promises ‘distinct Dublin wit'

Irish Independent

a day ago

Brendan, an AI-generated snood-wearing young Dubliner with reddish hair, can be accessed by selecting Dublin in the CityMe AI travel guide app.
Brendan will offer 'a new way' for visitors to explore Dublin, says Dublin City Council (DCC), by delivering AI-powered audio content about more than 500 cultural and historical sites across the city.
Its creators promise to deliver the AI content in a 'warm, locally-inspired storytelling style', which is tailored for each location on the tour.
'This is a novel project for Dublin, where technology and culture intersect to create a unique experience for visitors,' said Nollaig Fahy, smart Tourism Manager at the Dublin City Culture Company.
'With Brendan, we are not only embracing the future of tourism, but also reaffirming our commitment to sustainability, innovation and making cultural access more inclusive than ever.'
The AI city guide is currently in a pilot phase for Dublin, joining many other similar digital personalities created by CityMe, like Laia for Barcelona, Charlotte for Paris, and Liam in New York.
Later this summer, Brendan will expand to include Spanish as a language option, with plans in motion for an Irish-speaking guide down the line too.
Brendan was developed between Dublin City Council and Smart Dublin, in partnership with AI giant OpenAI.
Launched in 2016, Smart Dublin is an initiative of the four Dublin local authorities which aims to use technological solutions to improve services and quality of life in the capital.
'We are excited to partner with Smart Dublin to bring this vision to life,' said Guido Schinocca, CityMe AI founder.
'Brendan represents the future of city exploration, blending the latest in AI technology with the rich history and culture of Dublin,' he said.
The CityMe app divides Dublin into six tour locations: Stoneybatter/Smithfield, The Liberties, City Centre North/O'Connell Street, Old City/Temple Bar, St Stephen's Green/Portobello and Trinity College/Docklands.
When a user clicks on an area, a brief AI-generated audio introduction is given, followed by a map of all the landmarks within that zone.
Each landmark gives an audio description of the site and its history, delivered with a Dublin accent, along with a picture.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme