Irish workers feel secure from AI job replacement, demand transparency

New survey reveals two-thirds of Irish workers feel secure from AI job replacement, trusting employers and valuing transparency in AI's growing impact.

Overall, 37% of employees in Ireland say their use of AI at work is increasing.

Almost two in every three Irish workers feel safe in their job despite the threat of AI replacing roles, a new survey has found, suggesting initial fears about AI may be allaying

The research also found that employees in Ireland are more likely than those in Europe to trust their organisation to use AI in a fair and ethical way.

The survey of 1,000 workers and more than 300 employers here was part of the wider research by payroll firm SD Worx.

Seven in 10 employees in Ireland believe their unique human capabilities cannot be replaced by AI. Just 7% believe AI will take on the majority of their tasks in their current job.

The survey found that employees with supervisory responsibilities are more likely to be increasing their use of AI. Almost half of those who supervise one or more people say they are increasingly using AI tools in their daily tasks, compared with 26% of employees who do not supervise anyone. Overall, 37% of employees in Ireland say their use of AI at work is increasing.

Eimear Byrne, Managing Director, SD Worx Ireland, said: “AI is influencing high-impact decisions and this is particularly important for those working in HR and payroll to consider. Whether screening candidates, identifying payroll anomalies, or analysing workforce data, it is shaping real outcomes for real people. The new EU legislation means it is no longer enough for these systems to simply deliver results: organisations must be able to explain those results, justify them, and demonstrate that they are fair. This isn’t just a legislative obligation, however. Our research shows that employees seek this clarity, too.

The findings coincide with new transparency obligations under Article 50 of the EU AI Act, which took effect this week. Under the rules, people must be informed when they are interacting directly with certain AI systems, while certain AI-generated or manipulated content must be marked or disclosed. Three-quarters (75%) of employees in Ireland believe AI systems should be transparent about how they make decisions, compared with 64% of employees across Europe.