Demand for AI talent in Ireland soars 142% in six months – Accenture

Ireland has seen demand for workers with specialist skills in AI soar by 142% during the first six months of this year, according to a new report from research firm Accenture. The jump reflects a worldwide trend as companies increasingly look to AI to boost operational efficiency.

Also read: AI poses job threat, says Indian Economic Survey

Ireland is the technology hub of Europe, thanks to its lower corporate taxes which average 12.5% according to multiple reports. Several of the world’s top tech companies have their European headquarters in Ireland. The list includes Microsoft, Apple, Google, Meta, Amazon, LinkedIn and others.

Accenture Ireland MD says AI gives firms ‘competitive edge’

Accenture Ireland managing director, Audrey O’Mahoney, was cited in several local media reports saying, “The demand for AI professionals has increased as businesses recognize that AI can provide a significant competitive edge and seek to hire people with those skills.”

She said that it is crucial for companies not only to hire those skilled in AI but to also equip existing employees with generative AI knowledge. O’Mahoney stated:

“Those who double down on building the trust of their workforce and reskilling at scale will be the ones to reap the rewards of this change.”

Accenture tracked job postings on major employment platforms such as LinkedIn between Mar. 25 and Apr. 4 this year, noting a sharp increase in AI job listings. The tool assessed skills of both current roles and open positions across nine areas including AI, cloud computing, robotics, data analytics, cyber security, quantum computing, and sustainability.

The research covered all of Ireland. According to the report, demand for AI job ads rose faster than demand for other tech-related work like data analytics (36%) and cloud computing (21%).

Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and data analytics account for 80% of the country’s technology talent pool, and AI and data alone make up 42%. It added that most jobs are concentrated in the Irish capital of Dublin, where most of the workforce is based.

AI job losses may be ‘overstated’

AI is expected to have a range of impacts on the job market. A 2023 World Economic Forum white paper predicted that AI could result in a 39% growth in some jobs over the next five years. These include roles for trainers, data curators, and ethics and governance specialists.

Also read: Intuit to cut 1,800 jobs in shift towards AI integration

On Upwork, a global remote work platform, the frequency of AI-related job openings increased by 1,000% in the second quarter of 2023. In addition, a recent MIT study found that it was still too expensive for the technology to replace humans in production processes.

It showed that because of the huge capital outlay needed to adopt systems at a commercial scale, replacing human talent did not present any significant cost differences. This is similar to remarks made by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman at Davos earlier this year, where he said AI will change jobs but not at the projected scale.