Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer solely the preserve of big tech and is rapidly becoming pervasive across all sectors. Early fears that entire workforces would be decimated appear to be unfounded as forecasts for its impact on jobs remain largely positive. Yet the fact remains that individuals without even a basic grasp of AI skills are likely to find their roles at risk in the new world of work.
“One only has to look at the way generative AI technology is revolutionising the way we function to see how ‘working smart’ is going to require familiarity with a whole host of new AI-enabled tools and services,” says Martin Hayes, professor of digital technologies at the University of Limerick and academic lead for the UL@Work project.
Third-level institutions are doing their best to be ahead of the curve on this, but keeping up with the blistering pace of development in AI obviously poses its challenges. Most students these days are already AI consumers, Hayes notes, but UL holds industry adviser panels to ascertain what future graduates should look like.
“All of them, maybe surprisingly, given that the AI landscape is far from being settled right now, agree that AI skills need to be integral to everything that we ask our students to achieve,” he says.
He also points out that the recent EU AI act requires producers to be able to explain precisely how they have used AI in the creation of their product or service.
“Students who are wise users of AI tools will clearly be more employable than those who do not know what is going on ‘under the bonnet’,” says Hayes. “The biggest challenge for universities will be to provide the undergraduate, postgraduate and professional education that can deliver those ‘AI-ready’ graduates Ireland so desperately requires, at scale.”
Dragos Adascalitei, a researcher in Eurofound’s employment unit, says there is broad acknowledgment on the employers’ side that investment in reskilling and upskilling is necessary to address the challenges raised by digitalisation.
“It’s also important to note that in Europe skill shortages are structural – that is, a systemic mismatch exists between the demand and supply of labour,” he says. Structural skill shortages are particularly high in Stem fields, important for both the development and use of AI.
Eurofound’s research suggests employers are responding to the challenges of AI through investments in training.
“In fact, given the tight labour market, the impact of AI is felt mostly in terms of changing the type of tasks workers do rather than in terms of employment, ie loss of jobs,” says Adascalitei.
Naturally some sectors are further along than others when it comes to ensuring their employees are equipped with the ability to understand and leverage AI.
“The potential for AI to continue transforming the way people work is staggering,” says Laoise Mullane, director in workforce consulting at PwC Ireland.
At an individual level, it makes sense to be across this – PwC’s Global AI Jobs Barometer launched in early June revealed that AI is linked to a fourfold increase in productivity growth and a 56 per cent wage premium, while jobs grow even in the most easily automated roles. The report also determined that skills sought by employers are changing 66 per cent faster in jobs most exposed to AI.
Mullane believes the onus is on the employer to provide upskilling opportunities so that people can make the most of the available AI tools.
“Whether it is prompt engineering – asking the right question – or critical analysis of AI output, providing people with the skills they need to navigate the new world of work is beneficial for employers and employees,” she says.
She also notes that the EU AI Act includes a requirement for organisations to ensure AI literacy of their organisations.
“While now a requirement, there is a clear correlation between increasing the AI literacy of an organisation and the organisation being able to realise the benefits of AI,” she says.
PwC launched its GenAI Business Centre in Association with Microsoft in November 2023 to provide clients with a structured yet adaptable environment to explore, experiment, and scale AI responsibly.
“This approach ensures AI investments are purposeful and scalable,” says Mullane. “As new capabilities emerge and regulatory expectations evolve, organisations must adopt an iterative approach to allow them to test, learn and adapt in real time.”
Laura Flynn, head of people consulting at EY, says the company has found that AI skills and knowledge gaps have become an increasingly important agenda item for executives, which is being addressed through targeted upskilling and attraction strategies.
“By putting humans at the centre of AI transformation initiatives, organisations can allay employee fears and reservations around the technology and instead foster increased upskilling and adoption,” she says.
Sophia Daly, senior manager at Deloitte Human Capital, agrees that employers play a crucial role in ensuring their employees can utilise AI technology effectively.
“Organisations need to invest in training programmes that focus on AI literacy and practical applications,” she says. “This includes providing guidelines and guardrails for the ethical use of AI tools.”
Deloitte has established its own Office of GenAI to transform its business and services, ensuring that AI integration is done in a “human-centric way”, Daly adds.
One of the biggest challenges is ensuring that AI is used ethically and responsibly. Daly also highlights the importance of organisations investing in their own AI tools to prevent employees from using unsanctioned applications.
“In the public sector similar efforts are necessary to ensure that government employees are equipped to handle AI technologies effectively,” she says.
EY’s Flynn agrees: “EY Ireland’s own Tech Leaders Outlook Survey found that while just 6 per cent of organisations have a formal usage policy for generative AI, 59 per cent say unlicensed use of generative AI is likely common in their workplace – what’s known as ‘shadow AI’ use.”
Employees are on board with this. Research carried out by Deloitte shows that 82 per cent of employees who have used AI for work believe that within the next two years the technology will likely make their current job easier, while 69 per cent anticipate it will make their job more enjoyable.
Claudia Carr, partner at consulting firm BearingPoint, says that while AI and generative AI are not new, their application is set to increase at a “phenomenal” rate.
“It is essential that we all have some grasp of it, not only to understand how we can use it within our daily lives but also to detect when it may be used for unethical purposes,” she says.
Working with a number of organisations on their AI transformation strategies, BearingPoint has borne witness to many different approaches when it comes to supporting employee upskilling, including both formal training and more informal awareness sessions.
“Providing employees with the opportunity to experiment with the new technology in a safe environment can build confidence and break down barriers to change,” says Carr. “It will be important to recognise that the technologies are continuously evolving, therefore sustaining and continuously improving ways of working will require clear processes for raising questions and concerns, and sharing insights.”
From a compliance perspective, training should be provided on data management, security and governance as well as the ethical use of the tools provided, she adds. BearingPoint is also seeing an increase in adoption of peer-support networks to support informal learning in workplaces; Carr notes these can prove highly valuable when working with evolving technology.
However, given the ongoing and rapid evolution of the technology, learning will not be a “one and done” exercise, she points out: “Employees will need to adopt a continuous learning mindset, and curiosity to experiment and continue to seek opportunities for applying the technology to deliver benefits.”
Mary Ryan, chief executive of the Crédit Agricole Creditor Insurance (CACI) group in Ireland, says the organisation is “deeply committed” to making sure its employees at all levels understand AI and how it can enhance rather than replace their roles.
“As leaders, we have a responsibility to guide our teams through this transition, demystifying the technology and making it accessible to all,” she says. “We are actively fostering an environment where curiosity about AI is encouraged and supported and currently CACI is in ideation phase.”
CACI has a dedicated team working on practical AI use cases, and they are closely collaborating across functions to identify opportunities where AI can meaningfully enhance day-to-day work. The company also advocates for responsible AI deployment across the insurance sector, says Ryan.
“Our goal is not to automate for the sake of automation, but to augment human decision making and creativity in responsible ways.”
