Irish Jobs Face Significant AI Displacement Risk

Engineers Ireland’s study indicates that around 110,000 jobs in the Republic could be vulnerable to automation by AI in the short to medium term, if domestic and international estimates are accurate. The Economic and Social Research Institute found about 7 per cent of Irish workers could face the loss of their jobs in the short term.

Clerical workers and high-tech professionals are most vulnerable to AI’s potential impact on jobs over the short and medium term, according to the research.

AI Pilot Projects Showing Limited Real-World Impact

While AI adoption accelerates, real-world results remain underwhelming. Research by Massachusetts Institute of Technology found 95 per cent of organisations reported “zero gains” from AI pilot projects, due to a number of factors. Additionally, 69 per cent of executives whose companies use the technology told the US National Bureau of Economic Research it had little impact, with their use amounting to around 1.5 hours a week.

Irish Public Expresses Significant AI Concerns

Research by Ipsos B & A shows that two out of three people surveyed were either very or somewhat familiar with AI. However, three-quarters of the 1,000 people questioned said they feared it would lead to job losses, and were concerned about its ability to impersonate people or lead to misuse of personal information.

Public sentiment on regulation is clear: 57 per cent of people believe governments should regulate AI more tightly.

US Sector Decline Signals Broader Automation Trend

A decline in payrolls in the financial-activities and information sectors — where AI adoption rates have been fastest — has accelerated in 2026, to 28,000 per month on average based on government data in the US.

Source: The Irish Times