Ibec report says organisations must encourage lifelong learning approach to capitalise on AI
Ireland will fail to fully realise its long-term AI economic potential without a deliberate shift in the national approach to lifelong learning, according to a new study by Ibec and supported by Accenture.
The report – Skills for All, Skills for Life – highlighted that a failure to proactively and adequately reskill the workforce to support the transition puts a massive portion of the country’s competitive advantage at risk and hinders our ability to benefit from the multi-billion euro opportunity being created by AI.
The report said that Ireland’s previous talent model is outdated. As structural issues begin to limit growth, business leaders are urging policymakers to align their strategies and completely revamp workforce development.
Kara McGann, head of skills & social policy at Ibec, said: “We are just at the precipice of the change happening as a result of AI. As a country, we cannot be passive or hold back our intent or resources in supporting the transition required to meet the opportunities and challenges that will come with it. We have a multi-billion-euro training fund sitting on the sidelines – acting like it’s a rainy-day fund – when given the level of disruption that we’re seeing, we’re actually in the middle of a monsoon – facing the most profound and unprecedented technological shifts since the industrial revolution and simultaneously a global talent competition.
“While Ireland may not necessarily be a global hub for AI development, we can equip our workforce to be globally renowned as “AI natives,” which will provide a real competitive advantage for us. To achieve this, we need to considerably alter our approach to lifelong learning and its participation rates. Currently, at around 48.3%, Ireland’s rate sits just above the EU-27 average of 39.5%.
“We need a considerable step-change that shifts our national mindset toward continuous learning. By resolving the funding cycles of the National Training Fund (NTF) and establishing an integrated AI reskilling plan, we can ensure that Ireland becomes a net beneficiary of these new opportunities.”
Commenting, Audrey O’Mahony, managing director and talent reinvention lead at Accenture, added: “Artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping how work gets done, not just how quickly tasks can be completed. As roles evolve, the real challenge is whether organisations are investing at the same pace in people as they are in technology. Building the skills that create value in an AI-driven economy requires more than access to tools, it demands a deliberate focus on capability, confidence and the redesign of work itself. Reskilling must be treated as a core business transformation priority, embedded into how organisations operate and how work is continuously reinvented.”
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