Despite the enthusiasm among top executives to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) in their respective organisations, a recent study by KPMG has revealed that AI’s adoption in Irish businesses on a large scale is still limited. The study, published last month, analysed the opinions of 2,450 business leaders from 26 countries, including Ireland.
KPMG’s latest Global Tech Report discovered that while most of the 70 Irish executives surveyed recognise the potential benefits of AI, only about a quarter have managed to employ this rapidly advancing technology at a larger scale.
In fact, several companies already utilise tools that were either precursors to modern AI tools or are now known as AI-based systems. “The usage of sophisticated analytics has escalated remarkably over the past decade or so,” said Rory Timlin, the AI practice lead partner at KPMG Ireland. He noted that while machine learning usage remains surprisingly low, it has been experiencing significant growth for a decade.
He commented that Irish businesses typically introduce user-friendly products for consumers due to the lower entry barriers for companies. However, he added, “Just because they are easy to access doesn’t make them easy to scale, which is why you see such a discrepancy.”
There is currently a debate about whether the latest generation of AI tools, especially generative AI products like ChatGPT, enhance productivity or increase the workload for middle managers.
Recent research by job-seeking platform IrishJobs discovered an even split between senior company leaders and recruiters claiming AI eases their work and those arguing it complicates the recruitment process.
Additionally, the survey revealed that 70 per cent of Irish executives believe that AI boosts productivity for knowledge-based workers within their organisations. However, they also admitted that its complexity could potentially trigger unease among the employees.
Timlin emphasised that a “top-down” drive to embrace AI in Irish firms was evident, primarily based on the conviction that AI brings considerable growth and efficiency. He also highlighted that leaders should be open and honest with their teams about the technology to build trust and demystify it.
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