In a recent LinkedIn post, Linas Beliūnas challenges the notion that Europe is lagging behind in artificial intelligence development. Beliūnas highlights a specific, innovative project emerging from Ireland that demonstrates European ingenuity in leveraging AI for unique applications, effectively countering a broader narrative of technological underperformance.
Beliūnas opens by directly addressing the common perception: “Europe is lagging behind in AI.” He then immediately pivots to a compelling example to illustrate his point, showcasing a practical and creative application of AI developed by a London-based engineer.
“Meanwhile in Ireland AI Agent developed the Guinness Index: London-based engineer Matt Cortland created an AI voice agent that called over 3,000 pubs on St. Patrick’s Day weekend to ask how much a pint of Guinness cost.”
European Ingenuity in AI Application
The core of Beliūnas’s post centers on the Guinness Index project, a testament to resourceful AI implementation. As Beliūnas details, the project utilized readily available AI tools to achieve a significant outcome. The engineer, Matt Cortland, employed ElevenLabs for voice generation and Twilio for call execution, demonstrating that advanced AI capabilities can be accessed and utilized with relatively modest investment. The total cost for this extensive outreach was approximately €200, a figure that underscores the accessibility of these technologies.
Quantifiable Results from AI Deployment
The success of Cortland’s AI agent is measured by its tangible results. Beliūnas points out that the initiative successfully gathered data from a substantial number of establishments. According to the post:
“→ ~1,000 verified prices
→ National average: €5.95
→ A live, crowdsourced Guinness index (reviving one killed in 2011)”
This outcome not only provided valuable, real-time data on the price of a pint of Guinness across Ireland but also revived a previously defunct crowdsourced index. Beliūnas emphasizes that this project is not just a technical feat but also a cultural revival, driven by AI.
Challenging Perceptions with Practical Examples
Linas Beliūnas uses this specific example to push back against a generalized view of European AI capabilities. He suggests that the continent’s approach to AI might be more pragmatic and creatively applied than often recognized. The post implies that instead of focusing solely on large-scale, foundational AI research, European innovators are adept at finding unique, practical, and even culturally relevant applications for existing AI technologies.
Beliūnas concludes his initial point with a provocative statement: “Europeans are built differently.” This assertion, following the detailed account of the Guinness Index, suggests a unique problem-solving ethos that leverages technology in distinctive ways. It’s a call to reconsider the metrics by which AI progress is measured, advocating for the recognition of innovative application alongside raw technological advancement.
Beyond this illustrative example, Beliūnas also provides a resource for those interested in the technical aspects of AI agent development. He includes a link to a guide on building AI agents from scratch, complete with working code, signaling a broader interest in fostering AI understanding and capability.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Linas Beliūnas on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on April 17, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →