Ireland risks leaving girls behind in its AI future unless gaps in subject access and confidence are addressed, I Wish has warned.
The 2026 I Wish Survey of Female Students’ Attitudes to STEM found that just over one in four girls (27%) surveyed in single-sex schools currently have access to Computer Science at Leaving Certificate level.
I Wish, the Irish not-for-profit initiative inspiring young women to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), said this risks limiting girls’ early opportunities to explore digital skills, while confidence also presents a further barrier to seeing themselves in industries such as AI, cybersecurity, data analytics and cloud technologies. Three in five (60%) identified a lack of confidence in their STEM subject ability as a barrier to pursuing a STEM career, which has risen from 55% in 2025 and 50% in 2024.
The survey also highlighted that two-thirds of female secondary students identify poor gender equality in STEM careers as a barrier, while the same proportion cited insufficient career information. Meanwhile, 61% identified a lack of school visits by female STEM role models.
Co-founder of I Wish, Caroline O’Driscoll, 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. 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. Our I Wish Festival can open their eyes to what is possible, but that must be followed by opportunities throughout their education.”
The research does highlight encouraging attitudes towards STEM among younger students. In the I Wish Primary Programme powered by Logitech, 93% of primary students surveyed said STEM subjects suit everyone regardless of gender. A third of students said that more hands-on experiments would make learning Maths more engaging and beneficial, while just 34% expressed worry about getting maths answers wrong.
I Wish co-founder Gillian Keating said: “That sense of possibility is something we need to nurture as girls move through school and begin making choices about their futures. 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.”
I Wish is calling for more equitable access to STEM subjects, stronger career guidance and greater opportunities to meet female role models. It also highlights sport as a way to build confidence, teamwork and resilience, and social media as a way to make STEM careers more visible and relatable.
To help address these gaps, 4,000 secondary school girls from across the island of Ireland will attend the 13th annual I Wish 2027 Festival on 4 February 2027 at the RDS Dublin.
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