73% of Irish adults worried about AI-led job losses, says Engineers Ireland report

Friday 3 July 2026

Irish adults are strongly concerned about AI, with 73% saying they are worried about the technology’s potential to lead to job losses, and 81% agreeing that AI should be more tightly regulated by Governments.

That’s according to research contained in a new report published by Engineers Ireland, ‘Engineering and AI: The impact of Artificial Intelligence and the role of the engineer in a new digital age.’ - read the full report here

Impact on employment
The report also notes that around 110,000 Irish jobs may be vulnerable to automation by AI in the short to medium term, if domestic and international estimates of its impact on the labour market prove accurate, with clerical roles and those in the information technology sector deemed to be at most risk. The report points out, however, that the current evidence that AI is driving industrial productivity gains is weak, citing NBER research that shows that nine-in-ten executives say the technology is delivering no impact on employment or productivity.

Engineers Ireland notes that AI is already transforming engineering practice, enabling faster project delivery, more sustainable design, and new capabilities such as generative design, predictive maintenance, and AI-assisted documentation.

In a further warning of major implications for the engineering profession, Engineers Ireland cautions that increased reliance on AI could undermine the development of early-career engineers by reducing opportunities for hands-on learning. Without corrective measures, this could weaken the future talent pipeline at a time when Ireland needs to expand its engineering capacity to remain globally competitive and deliver much-needed infrastructure.

Risk and responsibility
Engineering and AI states that AI must remain a tool to augment, rather than replace, professional engineering judgement, and that engineers carry an increasingly important responsibility to ensure that the use of the technology is appropriately supervised, placing a human in the lead at all points in the decision-making.

Effective governance and regulation will also be essential, the report notes, and while frameworks such as the EU AI Act and Ireland’s National Digital and AI Strategy 2030 provide a basis for oversight, there is a need for continued regulatory development, investment in skills, and proactive planning to manage labour market impacts. Transitioning workers into new areas of demand, with appropriate supports and training, at pace, will likely be essential to mitigate the risks of worker displacement, with the report recommending that the Government carry out forecasting to plan for these potential impacts.

Speaking about the data contained in Engineering and AI, Engineers Ireland’s Director General, Damien Owens, said,
“The enormous potential of AI is clear to all, but it is evident that the Irish public is not yet convinced it can be trusted. That trust must be earned through strong regulation, transparency, and accountability at every stage of deployment.

“AI presents transformative potential for engineering and the wider economy, but its benefits will only be realised through coordinated action by engineers, industry, and government. Strong, visible, effective regulation, robust economic planning, and supports and training for those affected by AI’s impact can position Ireland as a leader in AI adaptation.”