Irish Workers Face Learning Gap as AI Adoption Surges: PwC Survey
PwC's 2026 Ireland workforce study reveals less than half of Irish workers have access to necessary learning resources, even as AI use rises sharply.
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Learning Resources Lag Behind AI Adoption
A new PwC study has exposed a significant gap in Ireland’s workforce preparation for the AI era. The PwC 2026 Ireland Workforce Hopes and Fears study surveyed more than 1,000 Irish workers as part of a global survey of nearly 50,000 people, revealing that less than half of Irish workers said they have access to necessary learning and development resources.
This puts Ireland behind the global curve. The share of Irish workers with access to necessary learning and development resources fell below the global figure of 51 per cent, and represents a worrying decline from 57 per cent recorded in 2025.
AI Use on the Rise, But Below Global Average
Despite the learning deficit, AI adoption among Irish workers is accelerating. More than half of the Irish workforce said they had used AI in the past 12 months, with AI use among Irish workers rising 8 percentage points year-on-year.
However, the Irish workforce AI usage rate remains below the global average of 64 per cent. Looking ahead, almost half of Irish workers said they expect the use of AI tools in their jobs to increase over the next 12 months, and more than one-quarter of Irish workers said they expected AI to transform their roles over the next three years.
Confidence and Concerns
Despite the rapid pace of change, Irish workers show resilience. 73 per cent of Irish workers said they feel ready to adapt to new ways of working, and 56 per cent of Irish workers said they were confident in their ability to learn new skills. On job security, 57 per cent of Irish workers said they were very confident about their job security.
When asked about their biggest worries, Irish workers cited economic volatility as a bigger concern than the impact of AI on job security.
Financial Pressure Mounting
Beyond workplace concerns, Irish workers are facing mounting financial strain. Only a quarter of Irish workers said they have money left over at the end of the month, a fall of 13 percentage points year-on-year.
Source: The Irish Times
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