Artificial intelligence is changing Ireland’s jobs market, but the biggest opportunities are not limited to people who build AI models. New Irish research points to rising demand across AI and machine learning, cybersecurity, data, cloud and software engineering, while employers are also looking for broader skills such as business understanding, communication and adaptability.
The timing is significant. The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) estimates that Ireland had about 168,800 digital specialists in 2025, with demand projected to reach approximately 215,400 by 2030 under its baseline scenario.
At the same time, PwC’s 2026 AI Jobs Barometer found that AI-related hiring in Ireland almost doubled between 2024 and 2025.
For people choosing a career, changing jobs or deciding what skills to learn next, the important question is therefore no longer simply whether AI will create jobs.
It is which skills and career areas are likely to remain in demand as AI becomes part of everyday work.
Key Facts
| Indicator | Latest evidence |
|---|---|
| Digital specialists employed in Ireland in 2025 | About 168,800 |
| Projected digital specialists by 2030 | About 215,400 |
| Potential annual digital-specialist shortage by 2030 | About 5,500 |
| High-growth shortage scenario | More than 7,700 |
| Irish job postings requiring AI skills in 2025 | 3.7% |
| AI-related hiring growth, 2024–25 | Almost doubled |
| Growth in AI-skilled jobs since 2019 | 83% |
| Overall jobs-market growth since 2019 | 16% |
Sources: EGFSN/Department of Enterprise and PwC.
Table of Contents
- Which AI-related careers are growing in Ireland?
- Is AI creating more jobs than it replaces?
- Why cybersecurity is becoming particularly important
- What is happening to AI and machine-learning careers?
- Why data and cloud skills matter
- Are software-engineering careers still in demand?
- Which skills will employers want?
- Are entry-level jobs changing?
- What does this mean for people changing careers?
- Where could Ireland’s digital skills shortages appear?
- What should workers learn?
- What happens to AI jobs in Ireland by 2030?
Which AI-related careers are growing in Ireland?
There is no authoritative Irish league table ranking every AI-related job title from fastest to slowest growing.
However, the latest EGFSN research identifies several areas where demand is expected to be particularly strong:
- AI and machine learning
- cybersecurity
- data
- cloud technologies
- software engineering
The report identifies cybersecurity as the fastest-growing technology domain, while AI is changing the nature of demand across the wider digital workforce.
This distinction is important.
The future Irish AI jobs market is unlikely to consist only of people with job titles containing the words AI, machine learning or data scientist.
Many existing technology roles are becoming AI-enabled, while new specialist roles are emerging around implementation, governance, security and infrastructure.
AI and machine learning careers are expanding
AI and machine learning are among the clearest areas of future demand identified by EGFSN.
The organisation expects employers to require more advanced and specialised capabilities as AI becomes more widely integrated into businesses.
Potential career areas include:
- machine-learning engineering
- AI implementation
- AI development
- AI systems engineering
- AI infrastructure
- AI governance
- AI risk management
- applied AI
But there is an important change taking place.
AI jobs are not necessarily confined to technology companies.
PwC found that both AI-user roles and AI-developer roles grew strongly in Ireland during 2025. AI-user roles increased by 84%, while AI-developer roles rose by 73%.
That suggests a broader market in which professionals in other fields increasingly need to know how to use AI effectively.
Cybersecurity may be one of the strongest career areas
Cybersecurity deserves particular attention because the latest EGFSN research identifies it as the fastest-growing technology domain.
The reason is broader than traditional computer security.
Businesses increasingly need protection against:
- cyber attacks
- identity threats
- cloud security risks
- data breaches
- AI-related threats
- regulatory risks
- vulnerabilities in connected systems
The EGFSN report also highlights emerging areas such as AI security and post-quantum cryptography.
For workers interested in technology but not necessarily in building AI models, cybersecurity therefore represents a separate route into Ireland’s expanding digital economy.
Data careers remain important as AI expands
AI systems depend heavily on data.
That makes data-related expertise another important part of Ireland’s future digital workforce.
Relevant areas include:
- data engineering
- data analytics
- data management
- data architecture
- data quality
- AI data preparation
- business intelligence
The significance of data engineering is particularly strong because businesses need reliable data before advanced AI systems can deliver useful results.
AI does not eliminate the need for high-quality information.
In many organisations, it increases it.
Cloud careers are becoming more important
AI applications also require infrastructure.
Cloud technologies therefore form another major part of the future digital-skills picture identified by EGFSN.
Career areas can include:
- cloud architecture
- cloud engineering
- infrastructure
- platform engineering
- cloud security
- AI infrastructure
This creates an important connection between AI and other technology careers.
A company may deploy an AI application, but it still needs people who understand its infrastructure, security, data and integration.
Software engineering is not disappearing
AI-assisted coding has created questions about the future of software engineering.
The latest Irish evidence does not support a simple conclusion that software development is disappearing.
Instead, EGFSN continues to identify software engineering as one of the areas where strong demand is expected.
The nature of the job is likely to change.
Software engineers may increasingly spend less time on repetitive implementation and more time on:
- system architecture
- problem-solving
- testing
- security
- integration
- reviewing AI-generated code
- technical decision-making
- understanding business requirements
That fits the wider pattern identified by PwC: AI-exposed jobs are experiencing faster changes in their required skills.
Is AI creating more jobs than it replaces?
The evidence is more complicated than a simple yes-or-no answer.
PwC’s Irish data shows strong growth in jobs requiring AI skills. At the same time, its research indicates that AI is changing the skills demanded in existing occupations.
Ireland’s Government has also recognised that AI creates both opportunities and potential displacement risks.
The 2026 Digital and AI Strategy says AI can create new opportunities while also creating risks around job and skills displacement.
The more immediate change for many workers may therefore be task transformation rather than occupation disappearance.
A job can remain while the tasks inside it change substantially.
AI is changing what employers want from workers
Technical expertise is only one part of the picture.
The latest EGFSN research identifies gaps not only in technical ability but also in:
- practical experience
- work readiness
- business understanding
- communication
- adaptability
- ethics
- regulatory awareness
It also highlights the importance of T-shaped professionals — people who combine technical depth with wider business and interpersonal capabilities.
This could become one of the most important career lessons from the current AI transition.
A worker who knows one AI tool may have a temporary advantage.
A worker who understands technology and the business problem it is solving may have a broader long-term capability.
Are entry-level jobs changing?
Yes, and this is one of the more important risks for people starting their careers.
PwC’s global analysis found that AI-exposed entry-level roles are increasingly demanding skills traditionally associated with more experienced workers, such as leadership and strategic decision-making.
Its analysis found that these “seniorised” entry-level roles grew 35% since 2019, while other entry-level roles declined 10% in the US dataset examined.
That specific finding is not an Irish employment forecast, so it should not be presented as one.
But it provides useful context for Ireland because Irish PwC data also shows rapid changes in the skills demanded by AI-exposed jobs.
For graduates, this could mean that technical qualifications alone become less sufficient.
The ability to:
- make decisions
- communicate
- evaluate AI output
- understand customers
- solve unfamiliar problems
may become increasingly valuable.
What does this mean for people changing careers?
The Irish workforce is already responding.
Microsoft Ireland’s September 2026 Work Trend Index found that 47% of surveyed Irish workers said AI was making them reconsider their career path, up from 34% the previous year.
The same research found that:
- 65% said AI skills are essential to compete in the jobs market.
- 61% believed developing AI skills would support career progression.
- 75% believed broad skills would become more valuable.
- 63% said they use AI at work.
This points towards a potentially useful strategy for career changers.
Instead of asking:
“How do I become an AI engineer?”
a worker might ask:
“How can AI capability strengthen the profession I already understand?”
An accountant who learns AI-enabled analysis, for example, combines financial expertise with technology skills.
A marketer who understands AI-assisted research and content workflows combines marketing knowledge with AI literacy.
A cybersecurity professional can add AI-security expertise.
The underlying professional knowledge remains important.
Ireland’s digital skills shortage could become significant
The EGFSN estimates that digital-specialist demand could rise from approximately 168,800 in 2025 to 215,400 by 2030.
That is an increase of about 46,600 specialists.
However, the report warns that current education, training and talent pipelines may not fully meet demand.
Potential annual shortages could reach about 5,500 specialists by 2030, rising to more than 7,700 in the high-growth scenario.
This creates a significant opportunity for education and retraining.
It also explains why the Irish Government has been placing increasing emphasis on digital and AI skills.
Ireland launched AIReady.ie in April 2026, providing free AI-skilling courses aimed at people across the country.
What skills should Irish workers learn?
The evidence suggests that the most useful skills are likely to combine technology with human judgement.
Technical skills
Depending on career direction, these can include:
- AI and machine learning
- data engineering
- cybersecurity
- cloud computing
- software engineering
- data analytics
- AI implementation
- AI security
Human and business skills
The EGFSN research also points towards:
- communication
- adaptability
- business understanding
- teamwork
- leadership
- change management
- ethics
- regulatory awareness
AI literacy
AI literacy is becoming relevant well beyond specialist technology careers.
Workers increasingly need to understand:
- how AI systems work at a basic level
- what AI can and cannot reliably do
- how to check AI-generated information
- how to protect confidential information
- how to integrate AI into existing workflows
- when human judgement is required
Microsoft’s Irish research found that only 40% of surveyed workers believed they had received enough AI training or guidance.
Which careers are likely to remain valuable as AI develops?
There is no reliable way to guarantee which individual job titles will remain highly paid or highly demanded throughout the decade.
But the current Irish evidence points towards several broad areas worth watching:
| Career area | Current evidence | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| AI & machine learning | Strong demand | Building and implementing AI |
| Cybersecurity | Fastest-growing technology domain | Security, resilience and compliance |
| Data | Strong demand | AI depends on reliable data |
| Cloud | Strong demand | Infrastructure for digital and AI systems |
| Software engineering | Strong demand | Building and integrating digital systems |
| AI governance | Emerging demand | Risk, regulation and responsible deployment |
| AI implementation | Growing | Turning AI tools into business processes |
| AI security | Emerging | Protecting AI systems and data |
This is not a ranking. It reflects the areas specifically identified or supported by the latest Irish evidence.
What happens to AI jobs in Ireland by 2030?
The clearest forecast is that Ireland’s digital workforce will become larger and more specialised.
EGFSN projects digital-specialist demand of approximately 215,400 by 2030 under its baseline scenario.
AI is expected to be part of that expansion rather than a separate labour market sitting outside it.
The technology will increasingly appear inside:
- software development
- cybersecurity
- financial services
- professional services
- data
- cloud infrastructure
- business operations
- public services
The result could be a labour market where the distinction between an “AI job” and a conventional technology job becomes less clear.
A software engineer may work with AI.
A cybersecurity professional may specialise in AI security.
A data engineer may build infrastructure for AI systems.
A business analyst may use AI every day.
And workers outside technology may increasingly be expected to understand AI as part of their normal professional toolkit.
The bigger question for Irish workers
Ireland’s AI jobs market is changing quickly, but the evidence points to something broader than a race to create the largest number of AI-specific job titles.
The country’s digital workforce is expected to expand substantially through 2030, while demand is concentrating in AI, machine learning, cybersecurity, data, cloud and software engineering.
At the same time, AI is changing the skills required within existing occupations.
For workers, the most useful approach may therefore be to combine domain expertise, AI literacy and human judgement rather than treating AI as a standalone career category.
Ireland’s current evidence suggests the future jobs market will need both specialists who build the technology and professionals who know how to use it responsibly.
FAQ
1. What are the fastest-growing AI jobs in Ireland?
There is no official ranking of individual AI job titles. The latest Irish research identifies strong demand in AI and machine learning, cybersecurity, data, cloud and software engineering, with cybersecurity identified as the fastest-growing technology domain.
2. Are AI jobs growing in Ireland?
Yes. PwC found that AI-related hiring in Ireland almost doubled between 2024 and 2025, while job postings requiring AI skills reached 3.7% of postings in 2025.
3. What AI skills are employers looking for in Ireland?
Demand is increasing for AI and machine learning, data, cloud, cybersecurity and software skills. Employers also need communication, adaptability, business understanding and other human skills.
4. Is cybersecurity a growing career in Ireland?
Yes. The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs identifies cybersecurity as the fastest-growing technology domain in its latest assessment of Ireland’s digital-specialist workforce.
5. Will AI replace jobs in Ireland?
AI is expected to change some tasks and occupations, but the available Irish evidence does not establish that AI will simply eliminate jobs across the economy. Research increasingly points towards changing skills requirements alongside new demand for AI-related capabilities.
6. Will software engineers still be needed in Ireland?
Current Irish skills research continues to identify software engineering as an area of strong future demand, even as AI changes how software is developed and tested.
7. What jobs will be in demand in Ireland by 2030?
The latest EGFSN research points towards strong demand for digital specialists, particularly across AI and machine learning, cybersecurity, data, cloud and software engineering.
8. Do I need to be a programmer to work with AI?
No. AI-user roles are growing alongside AI-developer roles. AI is increasingly being incorporated into existing professions, meaning domain expertise combined with AI literacy can also be valuable.
9. Is AI a good career choice in Ireland?
The available evidence shows strong and growing demand for AI-related skills in Ireland. However, career prospects depend on the specific occupation, qualifications, experience and how quickly the relevant skills evolve.
10. Where can people in Ireland learn AI skills?
Ireland’s Government launched AIReady.ie in 2026, offering free online AI-skilling courses designed for people with different levels of technical experience.
