hi, I’m Mairéad

I work at the intersection of AI strategy, digital education and lifelong learning - helping universities, governments and organisations design learning for an age shaped by intelligent technologies.

I am author of Generative AI and Education (Springer, 2024), in which I introduce new frameworks for learning with AI and offer guidance for educators navigating the AI-driven world. My goal is to ensure that learning keeps pace with the future of work and society.

I bring more than 25 years’ experience at the intersection of digital technology and learning, as well as a research background in international politics, policy, history and culture. This breadth of expertise across the social sciences and humanities, combined with a deep understanding of digital technologies, generative artificial intelligence and learning innovation, shapes my approach to meeting rapid technological change with practical, future-focused action.

I am Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Data Science Institute and serve on the Advisory Board of the US National Science Foundation-funded AI Institute for Adult Education and Online Learning (AI-ALOE), where I am also a Research Fellow.

You can get in touch with me by using the inquiry form on the Contact page.

vision

My work begins from a simple conviction: education must prepare people not only for what AI can do, but for what it means for us. The challenge ahead is not automation or replacement, but rather collaboration with AI. I see learning as a fundamentally generative activity in nature - which, when designed well, facilitates the development of the knowledge, skills and understanding that we need to flourish in the human-AI hybrid future.

global experience

I am a multilingual and multidisciplinary scholar, with professional experience across Europe and North America. My career began in Brussels with a focus on European politics and culture, followed by academic and leadership roles in Canada, the U.S., the UK and Ireland, and more recent advisory work with start-ups and digital ventures in the UK and Spain. This international perspective underpins my approach to preparing education systems for technological change.