As I reflect on the presentation that our group delivered at Gteic on Thursday, I am reminded of the month of preparation behind it. During the presentation it was great to see how much thought and effort was put into the presentation by each of us individually and to see how our suggestions worked together as a whole. I presented some AI Integration Strategies that small businesses could use, and how they could use them. Over my time in Carrigart and neighboring towns, I could see that there was an opportunity for the implementation of AI in everyday life amongst many of the small businesses, and I shared this during the presentation. One main point that I made was that AI was a tool, and not an employee- I shared how AI could be used to write captions for Facebook posts, and how in the future it could be used to help with scheduling. I found, with my research, that there are examples of smaller towns in Ireland that have increased the number of tourists coming to their town through the implementation of AI scheduling tools- and I believe that something similar could be a possibility for Carrigart in the future. While at the moment integration will be limited, there is the possibility of growth which can help increase tourism in the future.

Over the past month of the program, I feel more prepared to go into my freshman year at Pitt. I have grown academically, and I learned how to complete assignments that are usually completed during a student’s Junior or Senior year- so I am more prepared than some of my peers as we go into the year. I was able to get a grasp of what it will be like during the academic year, and I am better prepared to keep track of my assignments and find study spaces that work for me. With our site visits in Pittsburgh, even though I am a Pittsburgh resident, I got to know my community better than I did before; as well as gained real-world experience in understanding how different types of businesses operate. I have also grown personally during the program, and I have gained incredible friendships. Our group has grown together from our first week at Pitt, and we are already planning our group hang outs, as well as a possible group trip! After the first week, we were all looking at our schedules to see if we had any classes together, and we went to dinner as a group nearly every night. This program was very helpful in preparing me for my future at Pitt, by giving me the opportunity to learn in a small group, complete high level course work, and provide the amazing opportunity to consult with small businesses abroad- all before I have even entered the University as a Freshman!