A new national survey challenges the popular narrative that Irish people are largely fearful of AI, and uncovers a clear generational divide in attitudes toward it.
When asked about AI and employment, the survey of 1,039 adults – conducted by Ipsos B&A on behalf of Irish tech company, the UX Design Institute – shows 41 per cent expressed a negative view, 31 per cent were positive, and 28 per cent were neutral.
This suggests that while concern exists, 59 per cent are neutral or positive, indicating that most people do not see AI as an inevitable threat to jobs and are keeping an open mind about its impact.
Positivity towards AI is strongest among younger adults: 42 per cent of 16-24-year-olds feel positive about AI’s impact on jobs, compared with just 22 per cent of those aged 50 and over.
The research also shows that AI tools have gone mainstream in Irish workplaces, with 65 per cent of employees saying they now use them in their jobs at least occasionally, and 14 per cent using them daily. This rises to 20 per cent for 16-24 year olds.
“The conversation about AI and jobs has become dominated by fear,” said Colman Walsh, CEO of the UX Design Institute, which has recently launched a suite of AI courses for those working in the digital space.
“But our data shows a more balanced reality. Yes, some are cautious but most people are open-minded or optimistic about its potential impact. They’re curious, not panicked.”
“That’s a very healthy place for Ireland to be as we navigate this technological shift.”
Only 35 per cent of all adults say they never use AI at work – a figure that drops to 24 per cent among 16–24-year-olds, but rises to almost half (48 per cent) among those aged 50 and over. This highlights how generational exposure is influencing adoption.
However, only 15 per cent feel very confident they’re using AI to its full potential. This drops to 6 per cent amongst those aged 50 and over, showing how older workers risk being left behind.
Those who feel positive about AI and are confident using it are significantly more likely to be using it often in their work.
63 per cent say that training would be valuable. This rises to 71 per cent among desk-based workers, suggesting particularly strong demand for AI training among professionals in roles where these tools are most relevant.
“Irish professionals are already using AI. They just want to get better at it,” Walsh added.
“The findings suggest a workforce that’s keen to learn and experiment, but still figuring out how to make AI part of everyday work. The next step is helping people gain the confidence and skills to use it more effectively.”
To help address the confidence and skills gap revealed by the survey, the UX Design Institute has launched a new suite of live online certificate courses for digital teams to harness AI in their day-to-day work.
“Our training programmes bridge the gap between curiosity and confidence,” Walsh added. “They are designed for anyone working in digital who wants to stay up to speed with this new world.”
“With AI developing at an incredible pace, we’ve designed these courses to be delivered live, allowing us to respond quickly to new developments and emerging best practices.”
The new UX Design Institute courses cover customised AI training for teams working in the digital space as well as specialist courses covering AI for UX, user research and prototyping.
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