Research output per year
Research output per year
Dr.
Accepting PhD Students
PhD projects
AI Governance, Philosophy of AI, Language and AI, AI Ethics
Research activity per year
Dr. Martin Cunneen’s research investigates the societal impacts of machine intelligence technologies, encompassing fields such as data analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Natural Language Processing (NLP), Language Theory and robotics. His primary focus lies in addressing the challenges of anticipating and implementing timely and informed governance frameworks to regulate and guide the commercial applications of these transformative technologies.
Leveraging years of professional experience in the technology sector—spanning sustainable technology initiatives, educational technology, community programming projects, and Big Data—Dr. Cunneen’s work explores the intricate relationships between society and AI technologies. His research includes the development of innovative frameworks designed to facilitate multi-stakeholder engagement in assessing AI and socio-technological risks and ethics.
The research carried out by Dr Cunneen is built on an academic foundation bolstered by extensive teaching experience in applied ethics, analytical philosophy, and the philosophy of AI and technology Governance. He has cultivated robust international academic networks, collaborating with large research consortia such as Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and European Union Horizon research projects. His work adopts an interdisciplinary approach, integrating technical and social science perspectives to address both commercial and societal challenges posed by AI and data innovation.
The lead of the University of Limerick AI-ERA (Ethics, Regulation and Accountability) Research Group
Current Research Projects:
Dr Cunneen has won 1.2 million euros in funding in the past year across different projects.
Current Research Supervision
Dr Cunneen currently supervises 7 PhD students and 7 MSc students working on diverse dissertation topics grouped into 7 thematic areas:
1. AI/Data Governance
2. Climate Risk Mitigation, Data and AI
3. Extended Reality, Creative Sectors and Governance
4. Health Technology and AI
5. Autonomous Vehicles
6. The Philosophy of AI
7. Agentic AI, Commercialisation and Anticipatory Governance
Dr Cunneen’s research and supervisory work reflect a commitment to addressing complex, real-world challenges through an interdisciplinary lens, emphasising actionable solutions and ethical governance in the rapidly evolving data, AI and immersive technologies
AI Data Governance and Risk Management
Explainable AI and Ethical AI Practices
AI and Emerging Applications
Innovative Data Ecosystems
Climate Risk and Sustainable AI
Dr. Cunneen has a strong interest in leveraging AI and technology for social good, with a particular focus on innovation to support climate risk mitigation. He has contributed significantly to the field through his involvement in multiple high-impact, EU-funded Horizon projects.
From 2016 to 2020, he participated in two Horizon projects on Autonomous Vehicles and conducted extensive research on machine decisionality. Building on this experience, from 2021 to 2023, he worked on the Anti-FinTer project, funded by the EU Horizon program. This project, titled “Versatile Artificial Intelligence Investigative Technologies for Revealing Online Cross-Border Financing Activities of Terrorism,” involved developing AI tools for combating terrorism financing and fraud, as well as advancing data forensics research.
Currently, Dr. Cunneen serves as a LERO Funded Investigator (FI) and Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) on the EMPOWER project, funded by Science Foundation Ireland (2022–2025). This project focuses on data governance, aiming to develop a data ecosystem that benefits all users while safeguarding the rights of data sharers.
Dr. Cunneen is the University of Limerick's Principal Investigator for the Horizon Europe-funded XTREME project (2024–2027). This initiative explores the development of mixed reality technologies for art and creativity. A central element of the project is a Living Lab based at the Kemmy Business School, which hosts a team of Ph.D. candidates and postdoctoral researchers. The lab focuses on advancing human-centric and ethical approaches to mixed reality design and application.
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
Cunneen, M. (Member)
Activity: Membership › Membership of committee
Cunneen, M. (Member)
Activity: Membership › Membership of committee
Cunneen, M. (Member)
Activity: Membership › Membership of committee
Cunneen, M. (Member)
Activity: Membership › Membership of committee
Cunneen, M. (Member)
Activity: Membership › Membership of council