C'mere till Al tell ya...

MAYBE it’s an impulse born of living on an island that once marked the edge of the known world, but inside most Irish people there is a tour guide waiting to come out.

- Neil LESLIE

A living, breathing Google map just longing to be asked for directions or suggestions on what we do to pass the time around here.

Of course, it's of no major consequence whether you have any actual knowledge on the subject being queried.

A friend once overheard this exchange between a proud Dub and his foreign guest in a city centre pub...

Pointing at a picture of James Joyce framed on the wall, the eager visitor inquired who it was.

Summoning years of local knowledge, the local confidently declared: “That's Eamon de Valera. He was shot by the Brits for dividing the country in two.”

It's the kind of innate native confidence that makes many of us think that if the pension plan to win the EuroMillions or find a lost bale of cartel cocaine on the beach fails, we can always fall back on a bit of local tour guiding.

But news reaching us this week suggests we may now have to file those ambitions away in the “there goes another dream” folder of life.

Because Dublin City Council has unveiled what is believed to be one of the world's first AI tour guides.

In a press release, the city fathers breathlessly announced: “Meet Brendan, the AI-Guide who offers a new way for tourists and locals alike to explore Dublin, delivering engaging AI-powered audio content — with his distinct Dublin wit, charm, and playful personality.