Ireland's AI Adoption Surge: Europe's Leader, but Skills Gap Looms

Ireland now ranks third globally and first in Europe for AI adoption according to Microsoft's latest Global AI Diffusion Report. The data shows 49.9% of Irish adults now use AI—up from 48.4% in Q1—nearly triple the global rate of 18.8%. This isn't just consumer curiosity: 63% of Irish workers use AI tools at work, up from 56% in 2025, with 76% seeing AI as a major economic opportunity. The signal is clear: Ireland has quietly become a global AI adoption hotspot, driven by...