24th August 2026
New EGFSN report highlights Ireland’s leading role in AI adoption across the economy
- Ireland’s labour market is generating AI jobs at 2-3 times the pace of other EU countries
- Demand for, and supply of AI-related talent, shows no signs of slowing
- Risks centre on the uneven spread of AI across the economy.
The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) has published a new report, ‘The Irish Labour Market and AI in 2026’, setting out how AI is impacting the Irish labour market, noting strong demand for AI skills but also a robust pipeline of AI talent. The paper notes a rapid rate of AI spread across the economy with Ireland generating AI jobs at 2-3 times the pace of peer countries. Ireland also is a leader in respect of AI skills - ranking 2nd in the EU (behind Luxembourg) and also 2nd in relation to how widely AI is being used across the economy. The paper notes a marked rise in AI usage across the Irish economy but with an uneven pace of adoption across enterprises and individuals.
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, welcomed the report and noted its relevance as Ireland plans for long-term competitiveness and workforce resilience.
“This report on AI and the Irish labour market is timely and informative, and I commend the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs on their important work.The findings are clear: Ireland has moved quickly and is a global leader in respect of AI adoption across the labour market. The pace of change is astounding and the research highlights how well we are doing across several key metrics.The work also reminds us that success in AI adoption is not automatic and that AI spread throughout the country is uneven. That is why government is continuing to invest heavily. We need to double down on investing in education, training and helping people to embrace AI. We have made a very strong start in this process, but we must sustain this and continue to lead in the years ahead.Ireland’s AI advantage is real but staying ahead will necessitate turning early strong momentum into broad based, inclusive and skills-led productivity gains.”
Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation, Niamh Smyth, also welcomed the publication as a timely input into AI and our evolving labour market needs.
“I would like to thank the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) for their work in producing this new report examining ‘The Irish Labour Market and AI in 2026’.It is clear that our labour market has moved quickly to adopt AI and that we have a strong pipeline of AI related talent here. This work however clearly shows us that we cannot and will not stand still. Our economy will continue to grow but we must be increasingly cognisant of the impact AI. As the paper notes, the policy challenge centres on the capacity of businesses, workers and government to adopt and utilise AI effectively. That is what is happening right now, and we are already seeing the benefits.”
Notes to editors
- The Irish Labour Market and AI in 2026 was produced by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN).
- The paper was authored by Diarmaid Smyth and issued by the Chair of the EGFSN, Colm Kelly.
Report link: Publications - Future Skills Ireland
The EGFSN advises government on future skills requirements and labour market issues that affect Ireland’s potential for enterprise development and employment growth.
ENDS
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