AI-related roles are being created in Ireland at two to three times the pace observed in neighbouring countries, a new report from the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) has found.But the group’s latest research has warned the levels of AI uptake across the enterprise sector could lead to a risk of a two-speed economy.The research note by the expert group, authored by Diarmaid Smyth, said demand for AI-related skills has grown at a rapid pace in Ireland compared to the US, Britain and several similar European economies.Close to 12 per cent of job postings in Ireland reference AI skills, compared to 4 per cent in the US and 6 per cent in the UK.“While the share fluctuated between 4 and 6 per cent [of postings] from 2019 to 2023, it has since doubled, with a marked increase over the past year,” the report said.Smyth’s report said the evidence suggested that Ireland has been “continuing to fare well in respect of the demand for AI-related skills” due in part to the large cohort of multinational activity in Ireland.It added Ireland has continued to rank strongly in relation to AI skills among its workforce, which would indicate the supply of talent is available to meet the demand.The report referenced separate research by social media firm LinkedIn that showed Ireland ranked joint fourth globally for AI talent concentration, with the Irish market showing AI skill levels 1.4 times the global average. Last year, the labour skills group, chaired by Colm Kelly, also assessed how AI has impacted the Irish labour market and adoption of AI by companies in Ireland.The latest report said AI adoption among Irish enterprises has been increasing steadily, but the pace of adoption “remains uneven”. Based on data from Eurostat, usage of AI by large enterprises in Ireland has risen from 31.2 per cent to 57.3 per cent between 2021 and 2025. In that same period, the adoption rate by small firms has risen from 6.1 per cent to 16.8 per cent, while usage by medium-sized firms rose from 13.2 per cent to 28 per cent.“The gap between large and small enterprises has widened over time, pointing to an emerging divergence in productivity potential across the enterprise sector,” the report said.“These patterns point to the risk of a two-speed economy, in which larger firms capture a disproportionate share of AI-related productivity gains.”The report said although usage has “picked up noticeably” among small- and medium-sized firms, businesses in these categories are more likely to face cost barriers and lack of skills to applying AI in their operations.