According to the study, as structural problems begin to slow growth, business leaders are urging policymakers to strategize and revitalize workforce development.
Ibec, the Irish business advocacy group, has released a new report, in partnership with professional services firm Accenture, that examines the relationship between workplace AI and continuous learning strategies,
The Life Skills for All report, Skills for Life warned that unless there is a deliberate change in the national approach to lifelong learning, Ireland will fail to harness the long-term economic potential of AI. As it stands, Ibec has found that 64pc of roles will require significant re-starting.
The report suggested that by failing to fully and appropriately modernize the workforce to support the changing workplace environment, a large part of the country’s competitive advantage could be put at risk, hindering Ireland’s ability to benefit from the multi-billion euro opportunity created by AI.
AI is redefining work activities, impacting around 82pc of working hours in Ireland. Because of this, employees must respond and adapt quickly, prioritizing strategic investments, as “leaders will not be able to postpone spending because of a looming crisis”, when employee disruption is “happening right now”.
Potentially better ways, according to the report, are to commit to managing the closure of emerging structural barriers as a shared responsibility between government, education systems and employers, securing a strong graduate pipeline and building an ‘AI’ workforce.
Commenting on the report, Kara McGann, head of skills and social policy at Ibec, said, “We are on the cusp of the transformation that is taking place due to AI. As a country, we cannot be passive or hold back our focus or our resources in supporting the transformation needed to meet the opportunities and challenges that will come.
“We have a training fund worth billions of euros sitting on the sidelines, acting like a rainy day fund, given the level of disruption we are seeing, we are actually in the midst of a major storm, facing the most significant and unprecedented change since the industrial revolution and the global competition for talent.”
He added, “While Ireland may not be a global hub for AI development, we can equip our workforce to be recognized globally as “AI natives,” which will give us a real competitive advantage.
He suggested a shift in the national mindset towards lifelong learning, resolving the funding cycles of the National Training Fund and establishing an integrated AI innovation programme, to ensure Ireland becomes the full beneficiary of new opportunities.
Audrey O’Mahoney, managing director and talent innovation leader at Accenture, added, “Artificial intelligence is reshaping how work gets done, not just how quickly tasks can be completed.
“Building the skills that create value in an AI-driven economy requires more than access to tools, it requires a deliberate focus on power, confidence and the redesign of work itself. Re-skilling must be taken as a priority for business transformation, embedded in the way organizations operate and how work is continuously innovated.”
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