Irish Examiner view: Left high and dry by Microsoft

'Flaws with Microsoft meant systems such as Outlook and Teams were offline for a lengthy spell, causing serious disruption. We have already seen the impact of remote interference with supermarket refrigeration systems across Europe in recent weeks.' Picture: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty

It has been a testing few days for true believers in technology, with a variety of crises affecting computerised networks across the world.

A few days that have also brought into sharp focus our over-dependence on a very small number of very large
organisations.

Yesterday, flaws with Microsoft meant systems such as Outlook and Teams were offline for a lengthy spell, causing serious disruption. We have already seen the impact of remote interference with supermarket refrigeration systems across Europe in recent weeks.

Looming over all of those incidents this week was the resignation of Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, one of the key companies involved in the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. Huang stepped down after it was revealed he had had an extramarital affair with a woman US intelligence agencies believe to be spying for China, as well as another relationship with a subordinate within the firm.

The impact of his departure can hardly be overstated. Nvidia has been valued at over €3.7tn, which makes it an economic entity dwarfing many nation states. Given Nvidia’s heft, it was no surprise to learn that US politicians have requested Huang to testify before congress. 

To give a sense of the stakes involved, congress has also invited secretary of commerce Howard Ludnick to discuss the matter.

The implications of uncertainty at the top of a company that big are enough to cause nervousness worldwide, as evidenced by the impact on Nvidia stock — commentators estimated that as of Thursday the company’s share value had dropped by a staggering €450bn.

Huang’s departure may slow down the headlong rush to invest in AI stocks, and Nvidia’s in particular, but it is striking that the departure of one unelected person, relatively unknown to those who do not track stock or technology news, can have such far-reaching economic consequences — and political impact, judging by the US congress’s eagerness to hear from him.

The former CEO may not suffer too many adverse consequences, given that Forbes magazine estimated his net worth recently as over $150bn, but others are not as well insulated. Take the 450m Microsoft customers left high and dry by yesterday’s outage. Last month, Microsoft offered buyouts, or redundancy packages, to over 60,000 employees as part of a broader push to focus on AI. Perhaps Huang could tease this out if he goes to congress.

Those weeks where decades happen

This week saw the culmination of Ireland’s EU presidency with the European Political Community summit at the Convention Centre in Dublin.

To say the summit generated news is a serious understatement. It overshadowed what would surely have been a headline at any other time, the arrival in Ireland of former US president Joe Biden, whose son Hunter received an award at Trinity College.

Before the summit even took place, it loomed over the national discourse. The prospect of industrial action by the public service on the day in question surely contributed to the resolution of pay talks earlier in the week. The disruption of traffic in Dublin city centre as a result of the summit has also been a significant news story, though perhaps the nation as a whole has been less than exercised by temporary driving restrictions in some parts of the capital.

On the global stage this week’s event in Dublin fed into other significant developments. Ukraine president Volodomyr Zelenskyy, in Dublin for the summit, was able to meet US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at Baldonnel Aerodrome. Afterwards Mr Zelenskyy and Mr Kushner confirmed that a European delegation would participate directly in the next round of Russia-Ukraine talks.

As if that were not enough, Taoiseach Micheál Martin had to clarify his future plans yesterday. As reported by Louise Burne here, Mr Martin’s Fianna Fáil colleagues had been surprised by his remarks this week that he would “fulfil his mandate as Taoiseach”, questioning whether the phrase signalled the end of his leadership.

Mr Martin said yesterday: “I think that’s rubbish... I will be contesting the next general election, and we’ll be leading Fianna Fáil into that election.”

The old saying about decades where nothing happens and weeks where decades happen was never truer.

Designs on success

The Design Kenmare festival began yesterday.

The event runs all weekend and brings more than 40 designers and makers to the Kerry town for Ireland’s first place-based design festival, It features a programme of 18 conversations which cover topics ranging from architecture, interior design, and graphic design to furniture, photography, illustration, fashion and retail.

The event originated with Le Chéile, a creative collective established by Adrian Duyn and Eamonn O’Sullivan, that organised a showcase at Kenmare Butter Market two years ago.

It has since gone from strength to strength — the 2025 Design Kenmare festival pulled in more than 500 visitors and the 2026 programme is almost twice as big as last year’s. This should be no surprise when the line-up is star-studded, featuring the likes of interior designers Róisín Lafferty and Bryan O’Sullivan and graphic designer Neville Brody.

It is refreshing to see a festival with relatively niche appeal being held far from Dublin in particular. The capital has no shortage of large-scale events, but this festival has the potential to establish a wholly different identity for Kenmare and at a fallow time of year for tourism.

Every success to the organisers, and every encouragement to other towns considering similar ventures.

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