Ireland risks leaving girls behind in its AI future, survey finds

This year, 60% of girls surveyed identified a lack of confidence in their STEM subject ability as a barrier, rising from 55% last year. File picture

Ireland risks leaving girls behind in its AI future unless gaps in subject access and confidence are addressed, community educational organisation I Wish has warned. 

It comes as more than one in four girls (27%) surveyed in single-sex schools currently have access to Leaving Cert computer science, the 2026 I Wish survey of female students’ attitudes to STEM has found. 

This compared to 60% in mixed-sex schools. 

The 2026 survey also finds evidence of a growing confidence gap. This year, 60% of girls surveyed identify a lack of confidence in their STEM subject ability as a barrier, increasing from 55% in 2025 and 50% in 2024.

This is while demand for digital specialists in Ireland is projected to increase by 27% in the next four years. 

A further 66% of the girls surveyed reported a lack of information about STEM careers, while 61% identify a lack of school visits by female STEM role models. 

Overall, two-thirds of teenage girls identify poor gender equality in STEM careers as a barrier. 

The 2026 survey found that while subjects like biology and chemistry are widely available, hands-on STEM classes like construction studies, engineering, and design and communication graphics are much less available in single-sex schools.

Caroline O’Driscoll, co-founder of I Wish, said: “We ask girls to be ambitious, but ambition needs assistance." 

A girl may discover an interest in technology, engineering, or construction, only to find her school does not offer the technical and applied STEM subjects that would help her explore it, she added. 

'Growing confidence barrier'

Ms O'Driscoll said: "Even when her school does offer these subjects, she may struggle to see a future for herself without encouragement, clear career information, or women she can relate to in those roles. 

"The growing confidence barrier we are seeing in our surveys is worrying and raises questions about whether girls are getting the support they need." 

I Wish co-founder Gillian Keating said: "We cannot afford to carry today’s gender inequalities into tomorrow’s technologies. Girls must have the opportunity to shape STEM, not simply use it. 

"Starting early, with practical experiences and female role models, helps girls discover their abilities and imagine where they could take them.”

Speaking at the launch of the 11th annual I Wish survey, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: "Strong growth in demand is projected over the coming four years for digital specialist jobs, yet women make up only one fifth of this workforce. 

"Addressing that imbalance is essential to building the talent our economy needs."