Artificial intelligence adoption is accelerating across Ireland, but the technology is not spreading evenly across the economy.
The Central Statistics Office found that 20.2% of Irish enterprises used artificial intelligence in 2025, more than double the 8.1% recorded in 2023. Large companies were much more likely to use AI than smaller businesses.
But the bigger question is where AI is gaining the strongest foothold.
The available evidence points particularly towards information and communication, professional and technical services, finance and other knowledge-intensive activities. At the same time, Ireland’s Government is developing a sectoral AI adoption strategy covering areas including manufacturing, tourism, construction and ICT services.
The important caveat is that there is no single statistic that ranks every Irish industry by AI adoption. Enterprise adoption, AI-related recruitment and occupational exposure measure different things.
Key Facts
| Indicator | Latest evidence |
|---|---|
| Irish enterprises using AI | 20.2% in 2025 |
| Irish enterprises using AI in 2023 | 8.1% |
| Large enterprises using AI | 57.7% |
| Medium enterprises using AI | 28.6% |
| Small enterprises using AI | 17.2% |
| Most common AI technology | Data mining, 10.8% |
| AI-related job postings in Ireland | 3.7% of postings in 2025 |
| Leading sector for AI job postings | Information and communication |
| EU average enterprise AI adoption | About 20% in 2025 |
Source: Central Statistics Office and PwC.
Table of Contents
- How widespread is AI adoption in Ireland?
- Which industries are leading?
- Why is ICT at the forefront?
- What is happening in professional services?
- How exposed is financial services?
- What about manufacturing?
- Is tourism adopting AI?
- Why is construction moving differently?
- What does AI adoption mean for Irish workers?
- What is the Irish Government doing?
- What happens next?
How Widespread Is AI Adoption in Ireland?
AI adoption among Irish enterprises has increased sharply.
CSO data shows that 20.2% of enterprises used AI in 2025, compared with 15.2% in 2024 and 8.1% in 2023.
That means the share of enterprises using AI more than doubled between 2023 and 2025.
However, adoption is highly dependent on company size.
Almost 58% of large enterprises used AI in 2025, compared with 28.6% of medium-sized businesses and 17.2% of small enterprises.
This creates one of the most important features of Ireland’s AI economy: AI adoption is rising, but the transition is uneven.
Larger organisations generally have greater access to data, technology budgets, specialist staff and infrastructure, making it easier to integrate AI into business processes.
Which Industries Are Leading AI Adoption?
There is no single Irish dataset that provides a definitive 2026 league table of enterprise AI adoption by every industry.
However, several independent sources point in the same direction.
The strongest evidence identifies information and communication as one of Ireland’s leading AI sectors.
Professional, scientific and technical activities are also highly exposed to AI, while finance and insurance have significant exposure because many roles involve information processing, analysis and decision-making.
PwC’s Ireland AI Jobs Barometer found that information and communication dominated AI-related job postings, with the share rising from around 6.3% in 2018 to 13.9% in 2024.
The Central Bank of Ireland has separately found particularly high AI exposure among ICT, finance and insurance, real estate, and professional, scientific and technical activities.
These measurements are not identical to enterprise adoption, but together they show where AI capability and AI-related work are most concentrated.
Why Is Information and Communication at the Forefront?
Information and communication is naturally suited to AI because much of the sector’s work is already digital.
Software development, data analysis, cybersecurity, digital communications and information management can all incorporate AI tools without requiring changes to physical production infrastructure.
PwC’s Irish jobs analysis provides particularly strong evidence of this concentration.
The information and communication sector’s share of job postings requiring AI skills increased substantially between 2018 and 2024.
The sector therefore stands out not simply because companies can purchase AI tools, but because AI skills are becoming increasingly relevant to the workforce itself.
Typical applications include:
- software development assistance;
- data analysis;
- cybersecurity;
- customer support;
- language generation;
- document processing;
- automation;
- predictive analytics;
- research and information management.
The sector is also strategically important to Ireland because the country has a large technology and multinational business presence.
What About Professional, Scientific and Technical Services?
Professional, scientific and technical activities are another major area of AI exposure.
These businesses often depend heavily on information, documents, analysis, research and specialist knowledge.
That creates many potential AI use cases.
Examples include:
- legal document analysis;
- accounting support;
- research;
- drafting;
- data analysis;
- consulting;
- engineering;
- marketing;
- business administration;
- knowledge management.
The Central Bank of Ireland identifies professional, scientific and technical activities as one of the sectors with substantial exposure to AI.
The significance is not necessarily that every company in the sector has deployed AI at scale.
Instead, many of the tasks performed in these industries are technically compatible with AI assistance.
That distinction matters.
Exposure to AI is not the same as adoption of AI.
Is Financial Services One of Ireland’s Leading AI Sectors?
Financial services is another sector where AI has substantial potential.
Banks, insurers and other financial organisations work with large volumes of structured and unstructured data.
AI can therefore support areas such as:
- fraud detection;
- financial analysis;
- risk management;
- customer service;
- compliance;
- document processing;
- forecasting;
- accounting;
- operational automation.
The Central Bank’s analysis places finance and insurance among the Irish sectors with particularly high AI exposure.
Irish financial institutions are also investing in practical AI applications.
For example, AIB has expanded access to AI-powered Microsoft productivity tools across much of its workforce following an earlier pilot programme.
This illustrates how AI adoption can move from experimentation towards broader employee access.
However, financial services also faces strict regulatory and governance requirements.
The question is therefore not simply whether financial institutions can use AI.
It is whether they can deploy it while maintaining appropriate controls, data protection and accountability.
What Is Happening in Manufacturing?
Manufacturing presents a different AI opportunity.
AI can be used in areas such as:
- predictive maintenance;
- quality control;
- production optimisation;
- demand forecasting;
- supply-chain management;
- computer vision;
- process monitoring;
- energy management.
But implementation can be more complex than introducing an AI assistant into an office workflow.
Manufacturing businesses may need appropriate sensors, operational data, integration with existing systems and specialist skills.
Ireland’s Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment has specifically included manufacturing in its 2026 consultation on enterprise AI adoption.
The Government is examining the opportunities, barriers, skills requirements and support mechanisms needed to increase AI adoption in the sector.
That makes manufacturing one of the sectors to watch as Ireland moves from broad AI experimentation towards targeted sectoral adoption.
Is Tourism Adopting AI?
Tourism is also becoming a specific focus of Ireland’s AI policy.
Fáilte Ireland’s 2026–2029 corporate strategy includes plans to accelerate digital and AI adoption across the tourism sector.
The organisation says AI and digital tools can support productivity, efficiency, discoverability, bookability and commercial performance.
Potential applications include:
- customer communications;
- travel recommendations;
- marketing;
- booking support;
- demand forecasting;
- content creation;
- operational administration;
- visitor personalisation.
The Government’s 2026 sectoral consultation also specifically includes tourism.
This is important because tourism is a major consumer-facing part of the Irish economy, and its AI adoption will be visible not only to businesses but also to visitors.
Why Is Construction Moving Differently?
Construction is another sector where AI adoption faces different practical conditions.
AI can potentially support:
- project planning;
- cost estimation;
- design;
- scheduling;
- risk analysis;
- site monitoring;
- predictive maintenance;
- document management.
But construction involves physical environments, machinery, materials, workers and site-specific conditions.
That can make digital transformation more complicated than in an office-based technology business.
The Irish Government has nevertheless included construction in its 2026 sectoral AI adoption consultation.
That suggests the policy challenge is shifting from simply encouraging AI awareness to understanding what prevents individual sectors from implementing it.
What Is AI Mainly Being Used For in Ireland?
The CSO provides some of the clearest evidence.
In 2025, data mining was the most common AI technology used by Irish enterprises, at 10.8%.
Natural-language generation followed at 9.3%.
For business purposes, administrative processes were the most common application, at 7.8%.
Marketing or sales, ICT services and R&D or innovation activity each accounted for 5.4%.
Accounting or financial management accounted for 4.7%, production processes for 3.3%, and logistics for 1.5%.
This suggests that much of Ireland’s current AI adoption is focused on improving existing processes rather than completely redesigning businesses.
Is AI Adoption Actually Deep?
Not necessarily.
The headline 20.2% enterprise adoption rate tells us that businesses are using AI.
It does not tell us that 20.2% of Irish companies have completely transformed their operations around AI.
There is an important difference between:
Using AI
and
Embedding AI into core business processes.
A company might use an AI writing assistant for marketing while leaving its major operational systems unchanged.
Another organisation might integrate AI into customer service, forecasting, finance, production and decision-making.
Both count as AI adoption, but their level of transformation is very different.
This is one reason why Ireland’s next phase of AI policy is increasingly focused on sectoral adoption, capability, skills and implementation.
What Does AI Adoption Mean for Irish Workers?
AI adoption is also changing the skills employers want.
PwC’s 2026 AI Jobs Barometer found that the share of Irish job postings requiring AI-related skills reached 3.7% in 2025, up from approximately 2.3% in 2024.
AI hiring in Ireland almost doubled between 2024 and 2025.
PwC also found that AI-related skills are increasingly appearing outside specialist technology roles.
That means the AI labour market is becoming broader.
Workers may increasingly need to understand:
- how to evaluate AI-generated information;
- how to use AI tools safely;
- how to protect confidential data;
- how to integrate AI into existing workflows;
- how to verify AI outputs;
- how to combine AI capability with professional expertise.
The impact will therefore not be limited to software engineers.
What Is the Irish Government Doing?
Ireland is moving towards a more sector-specific AI strategy.
The Government’s 2026 digital strategy identifies the need for a targeted strategy to increase enterprise AI adoption and calls for differentiated approaches across sectors.
Enterprise Ireland is also expected to develop an AI Adoption Roadmap for client companies, while AI Sector Champions are planned to work with Government and industry.
In July 2026, the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment launched a targeted consultation covering:
- manufacturing;
- tourism;
- construction;
- ICT services.
The consultation examined current AI use, opportunities, barriers, skills and the supports businesses need to adopt and scale AI.
This represents an important change in policy direction.
Instead of treating AI adoption as a single economy-wide issue, Ireland is increasingly looking at what individual sectors need.
Which Irish Industries Are Most Important to Watch?
The evidence points to several different groups.
Information and communication
The clearest leader in AI-related employment and one of the sectors most naturally suited to AI deployment.
Professional, scientific and technical services
Highly exposed because of the amount of analytical, research, document and knowledge-based work involved.
Finance and insurance
Highly exposed to AI because of data-intensive activities including risk, analysis, compliance and customer services.
Manufacturing
A major policy focus because AI can affect production, maintenance, quality and supply chains.
Tourism
An increasingly important adoption area, particularly around productivity, marketing, booking and visitor experience.
Construction
A sector with substantial potential but different implementation requirements because AI must interact with physical operations.
What Does the Evidence Actually Tell Us?
The evidence supports a more nuanced conclusion than simply saying one industry is “winning” the AI race.
Ireland’s AI economy has several layers.
Enterprise adoption: 20.2% of Irish enterprises used AI in 2025.
Technology concentration: data mining and natural-language generation were among the most common applications.
Workforce demand: information and communication dominates AI-related job postings.
Occupational exposure: ICT, finance, real estate and professional services have high exposure to AI.
Government policy: manufacturing, tourism, construction and ICT are now receiving targeted sectoral attention.
Together, these indicators show that AI adoption is moving beyond technology companies.
The strongest early concentration remains in digitally intensive and knowledge-heavy work, but Government policy is increasingly aimed at expanding adoption across the wider economy.
What Happens Next?
Ireland’s AI story is moving from experimentation towards implementation.
The country has already seen enterprise AI adoption rise from 8.1% in 2023 to 20.2% in 2025.
The next challenge is determining how deeply businesses can integrate the technology.
ICT and other digitally intensive sectors are already strongly positioned.
Professional services and financial services have substantial exposure and established use cases.
Manufacturing and tourism are receiving increasing policy attention.
Construction presents a different implementation challenge.
For businesses, the question is therefore changing.
It is no longer simply:
“Should we use AI?”
It is increasingly:
“Where can AI create measurable value, and what skills, data and safeguards are required to deploy it properly?”
For Ireland, the answer will vary significantly by industry.
That is why the country’s next phase of AI adoption is likely to be increasingly sector-specific.
Key Takeaways
- 20.2% of Irish enterprises used AI in 2025.
- AI adoption more than doubled from 8.1% in 2023.
- 57.7% of large enterprises used AI, compared with 17.2% of small enterprises.
- Information and communication leads Ireland in AI-related job postings.
- ICT, finance, real estate and professional services have particularly high AI exposure.
- Data mining was the most common AI technology used by Irish enterprises.
- Business administration was the most common reported business purpose.
- Manufacturing, tourism, construction and ICT services are central to Ireland’s 2026 sectoral AI adoption work.
- AI-related skills appeared in 3.7% of Irish job postings in 2025.
- Ireland’s next AI challenge is moving from experimentation towards deeper operational adoption.
FAQ
1. What percentage of Irish businesses use AI?
The CSO reported that 20.2% of Irish enterprises used AI technologies in 2025.
2. Which industry is leading AI adoption in Ireland?
There is no single official 2026 Irish industry league table covering enterprise AI adoption. However, information and communication is a clear leader in AI-related job demand, while ICT, finance, real estate and professional services have high AI exposure.
3. Is AI adoption increasing in Ireland?
Yes. Enterprise AI use increased from 8.1% in 2023 to 20.2% in 2025, according to the CSO.
4. Which Irish businesses use AI the most?
Large enterprises have the highest adoption rate. In 2025, 57.7% of large enterprises used AI compared with 28.6% of medium-sized and 17.2% of small enterprises.
5. What are Irish companies using AI for?
Common uses include data mining, natural-language generation, business administration, marketing and sales, ICT services, R&D, accounting and production.
6. Which Irish sector has the most AI-related jobs?
Information and communication has the strongest concentration of AI-related job postings in Ireland, according to PwC’s analysis of job-posting data.
7. Is finance adopting AI in Ireland?
Finance and insurance have high occupational exposure to AI, and financial institutions are developing applications in areas such as risk, fraud detection, analysis, compliance and operations.
8. Is manufacturing adopting AI in Ireland?
Manufacturing is an important target of Ireland’s 2026 sectoral AI adoption strategy, with the Government examining adoption opportunities, barriers, skills and support requirements.
9. Is tourism using AI in Ireland?
Yes. Fáilte Ireland’s 2026–2029 strategy includes accelerating digital and AI adoption in tourism.
10. Will AI replace jobs in Ireland?
The available evidence does not establish widespread AI-driven job replacement across Ireland. Instead, AI is changing the skills demanded by employers and increasing demand for AI-related capabilities.
