How Overcast Is Driving AI Innovation in Video Search — Recognised by the Irish Government

We’re delighted to share that Overcast HQ’s pioneering work in AI video search has been officially recognised by the Government of Ireland. As part of its innovation showcase, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has featured the Video Intelligent Search Platform (VISP) — a collaborative project between Overcast, Kinesense, and Trinity College Dublin, supported by Enterprise Ireland.

This recognition highlights not only the value of semantic video search but also the power of collaboration between the private sector, academia, and government to solve complex digital challenges.

The Challenge: Search Doesn’t Work for Video

As video becomes the dominant form of digital content, organisations are finding themselves overwhelmed by the volume of footage, scattered assets, and poor discoverability. Unlike text-based documents, video is inherently difficult to search—traditional methods rely on filenames and manual tags, both of which are often inconsistent, incomplete, or entirely missing.

This creates significant friction for:

Creative teams trying to repurpose archived footage
Marketing and compliance departments verifying brand safety or legal use
Editors trying to locate one line of dialogue or a key visual moment across hundreds of hours of footage

The Solution: AI-Powered Semantic Search

That’s where Overcast’s innovation comes in. Through the VISP Project, Overcast developed an AI-driven video search platform that uses semantic search to understand not just keywords, but meaning, context, and visual/audio cues within video files.

Instead of relying on rigid metadata, the platform:

Transcribes spoken dialogue
Detects objects, people, and locations
Tags tone, sentiment, and intent
Builds searchable metadata from unstructured video content

This enables users to find the right moments in seconds, not hours—saving time, reducing duplication, and unlocking the true value of video archives.

A Proud Collaboration

The VISP project is a result of collaboration between Overcast HQ, Kinesense and Professor Anil Kokaram’s team at Trinity College Dublin. The work has been supported by Enterprise Ireland’s Agile Innovation Fund, and now serves as a shining example of how public-private partnerships can accelerate innovation in digital infrastructure and AI.

The VISP project was born to solve this very problem. It brings together:

Overcast HQ, experts in cloud-based video workflow automation
Kinesense, pioneers in video analytics for security and law enforcement
Trinity College Dublin, led by Professor Anil Kokaram, renowned for research in AI and video processing

Together, the project has delivered a platform that uses AI-powered semantic search to revolutionise how users find and manage video content.

Unlike traditional search, which relies on file names or manual tags, semantic search understands the meaning behind queries. It analyses:

Dialogue via transcription
Objects and faces through computer vision
Context and sentiment using NLP and tone detection
Scene content for visual themes and locations

This enriched metadata enables users to search for what they mean — not just the exact words used in the file — making video content finally accessible and actionable.

Government Recognition & Industry Impact

In the official publication, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment showcases Overcast as a technology innovator developing real-world solutions that enhance Ireland’s position as a hub for digital excellence.

This recognition underscores how semantic AI and adaptive media management are now essential infrastructure for:

Media and entertainment companies
Retail and consumer goods brands
Government departments and legal firms
Financial services and education institutions

Overcast’s Vision Going Forward

At Overcast HQ, we’re committed to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with AI in video workflows. The VISP project is one of many steps we’re taking to ensure that the future of content is searchable, scalable, and smart.

Whether you’re managing 1,000 or 1,000,000 video assets, semantic search and intelligent metadata aren’t just nice-to-haves—they’re the key to unlocking speed, compliance, and creativity in content operations.

Explore the full government feature here:
👉 Video Intelligent Search Platform (VISP) Project – gov.ie

Want to see how Overcast can bring intelligent search to your video workflows? Let’s talk.