Preliminary evidence suggests that artificial intelligence is weakening employment opportunities in some technology-driven areas of the Irish economy, especially for young graduates, according to research carried out by Ireland’s Department of Finance.
Ireland’s strong labor market is relatively more exposed to AI than the average advanced economy, given the high concentration of jobs in so-called knowledge-intensive sectors such as technology, science and financial services, the department said.
Employment in categories at risk of disruption by AI, which include technology and financial services, grew by about 4% between 2023 and 2025, compared to 4.5% among medium-risk companies and 6.25% in the low-risk category.
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Employment among people aged 15 to 29 in the “at risk” group fell by 1% over this period and by 20% among technology companies alone, even as employment among technology workers aged between 30 and 59 grew by 12% during this period.
The research also found that in sectors with less exposure to AI, job growth among younger workers outpaced that of older workers.
While the researchers said this indicates the results cannot be explained by a recession among younger workers more broadly, they also said it may be premature to attribute the changes solely to AI-driven substitution effects.
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Finance Minister Simon Harris said the analysis suggests that Ireland could be at the forefront of AI-driven labor market changes and that the government should invest in upskilling and reskilling workers in exposed sectors.
