Ireland looks to ramp AI jobs

Market news | April 6, 2023

By Nick Flaherty

AI Software & Embedded tools

Recruitment data shows that the share of AI talent in Ireland grew more than 500% between 2016 and 2022 says the latest report from the country’s Industrial Development Agency (IDA).

Recent emphasis on investment in AI resulted in an upturn in AI talent growth for both Irish (+28.5%) and global (+42.1%) figures between 2021 and 2022.

Ireland is responding to the shortage of AI skills by focusing on upskilling and reskilling employees and introducing initiatives to build capacity in AI, including the appointment of an AI ambassador, the introduction of a National Masters in AI, and a digital strategy for schools.

IDA Ireland’s Labour Market Pulse provides an overview of current insights and trends to help inform decision makers across business, academia and public policy. It found demand for AI skills continues to outpace supply and skills availability has been deemed the most important obstacle to the adoption of AI for companies.

The Digital Ireland Framework is seeking to have 75% of businesses using AI by 2030, driving upskilling and reskilling in the face of slowing hiring rates. Rates slowed from post-pandemic highs, 27.2% lower than January 2022 as continued economic headwinds see employees appear to choose stability over change, with longer tenures also reflected in the decreasing hiring rate.

Articles on AI skills

With the European Year of Skills set to begin in May, the World Economic Forum predicts that 97 million jobs involving AI will be created between 2022 and 2025 and overcoming current skills gaps will require targeted efforts.

The latest Labour Market Pulse also places a spotlight on gender diversity in AI teams. Data shows that 1.36% of women and 2.55% of men in Ireland were considered AI talent in 2022. Despite this gap, progress is being made, with the number of women considered AI talent growing faster year-on-year. Between 2016-2022, there was a 40.5% increase in the number of women in AI compared to 34.7% in the number of men considered AI talent.

In 2022, the Education sector saw the highest share of AI talent, at 6.36%, reflecting Ireland’s strong position as a hub for research and innovation. Globally, Technology, Information and Media possessed the largest share of AI talent.

There are more than 105 courses in AI and related areas available across Ireland, which, combined with the highly skilled workforce and culture of innovation, make Ireland well positioned to lead in the development and adoption of AI.

“AI skills and talent are becoming increasingly vital for Ireland’s economic growth and competitiveness in the global market. As AI continues to revolutionise industries across the board, those with the skills and expertise to develop and deploy cutting-edge AI solutions will be in high demand. Ireland has the potential to be a leader in this field, but it will require a concerted effort to cultivate and attract top AI talent to the country,” said Simon Coveney, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Commenting on the Labour Market Pulse, IDA Ireland Interim CEO Mary Buckley said: ‘’I welcome the data insights which shows that AI and digital skills are continuing to grow here in Ireland year on year. The increase in female enrolment in AI related education programmes is particularly welcome. Despite global uncertainty, it’s encouraging to see Ireland react to the need to develop AI skills with a focus on upskilling and reskilling all the way from the workforce to a digital strategy for schools.’’

“AI is a defining technology of our time, and we are optimistic about what AI can do for people, industry, and society,” said James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Lead and Vice President of Microsoft Global Operations Service Centre which helped compile the report.

“Already it is helping to solve some of society’s greatest challenges, be that making farming more sustainable, protecting vulnerable communities from climate change, or cleaning up the world’s oceans. As AI systems evolve, we expect that AI advances will change the nature of some jobs and work, and even create new jobs that didn’t exist before.”

“These shifts are similar to the changes we’ve seen with other major technological advances such as the invention of the telephone or the automobile. And like those changes, we expect this shift will require new ways of thinking about skills and training to ensure that workers are prepared for the future and that there is enough talent available for critical jobs,” he said.

www.idaireland.com