Irish workers boost AI skills amid job security fears

IrishJobs has published survey data showing that 35% of professionals in Ireland have taken steps this year to improve their artificial intelligence skills, while 41% are concerned their role could be affected by AI.

The research drew on responses from more than 500 employers and nearly 1,000 professionals in Ireland, offering a snapshot of how workers and recruiters are adjusting to changes in hiring, pay expectations and workplace technology.

The figures point to a workforce preparing for technological change while remaining confident about its longer-term prospects. Although more than two in five respondents expressed concern about AI affecting their jobs, 86% said they were confident their skills would remain relevant over the next three years.

That mix of caution and confidence sits alongside signs of growing movement in the labour market. Some 81% of employees are open to a new job offer, the highest level recorded in IrishJobs data. Within that group, 17% said they were actively looking for a new role, down slightly from autumn last year, while the number of passive candidates willing to move for the right offer has risen over the past six months.

Hiring friction

The survey also points to strain in the recruitment process. Nearly three-quarters of job candidates said it had become harder to reach the interview stage, while 65% said they receive no response from recruiters beyond an automated reply.

Many candidates also believe expectations have risen. Some 78% said job advertisements now require more skills than before. At the same time, employers identified skills matching as their main hiring difficulty, underlining a gap between what companies want and what applicants consider realistic.

Salary has become the strongest driver for workers considering a move. IrishJobs recorded a 7% increase in the share of candidates ranking pay as the most important factor when assessing a role, as household budgets come under pressure from higher living costs.

After salary, workers ranked work-life balance, flexible working and job security as the leading considerations. Economic uncertainty appears to be shaping those priorities. More than three in four candidates said job security now matters more than career progression when weighing opportunities.

For employers, that shift is adding pressure in the hiring market. Almost a quarter said they were struggling to meet rising salary expectations among jobseekers, making pay one of the biggest obstacles in recruitment.

AI and work

The findings come as companies across sectors adopt more AI tools in day-to-day operations, changing both job design and the way vacancies are filled. In recruitment, greater automation may be affecting how candidates experience the process, especially when communication is limited and application systems screen applicants before any human contact.

That may help explain why many workers are investing in AI-related learning even if they do not expect immediate displacement. Rather than treating AI as a distant issue, a sizeable minority appear to be building skills that could protect their position or improve their options in the labour market.

Christopher Paye, Country Director of The Stepstone Group Ireland with responsibility for IrishJobs, said: "Across Ireland, the hiring landscape is evolving at pace, shaped by a combination of economic and geopolitical volatility, accelerating technological change and shifting workforce expectations. Despite considerable uncertainty, the Irish economy continues to demonstrate its resilience and remains close to full capacity. Against this backdrop, our findings show professionals are becoming more strategic in how they navigate the jobs market, balancing a desire for stability with heightened inflationary pressures.

"While more candidates than ever are open to new opportunities, there is growing uncertainty around the impact of AI and how it could affect future careers. Professionals in Ireland are responding by improving their AI skills and placing greater emphasis on adaptability in the workplace. Employers also have a vital role to play by investing in and upskilling their workforce so their people can adapt successfully to these shifts.

"The findings also highlight a growing disconnect between employers and candidates across several key areas. Challenges around rising salary expectations, skills matching and increasingly complex job requirements are contributing to friction in the hiring process. To stay competitive, employers need to sharpen their approach by setting clear, realistic expectations from the outset of recruitment and leading with transparency on pay, flexibility and career development. Those who actively invest in skills and support employees through the significant change ahead will be best placed to attract and retain high-calibre talent."

The survey paints a picture of a labour market in which employers face tougher demands from candidates while workers face greater uncertainty about how technology could reshape their roles. For many professionals, the immediate response appears practical: build new skills, seek better pay and keep options open.

IrishJobs also found that 77% of candidates now place greater value on job security than career progression when considering potential opportunities.