New sentiment tracker from Expleo indicates that Irish business leaders lead Europe in AI cybersecurity concerns.
Irish business leaders are approaching the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with more trepidation than their European counterparts, according to the inaugural results of a new monthly sentiment index.
The AI Pulse tracker, launched by the technology and engineering consultancy Expleo, recorded an overall confidence score of 64 out of 100 among Irish executives for the month of February.
“AI has proven to be a powerful driver of efficiency, but at Expleo, we see many organisations facing challenges in implementing and scaling it”
While the score suggests a baseline of optimism, the underlying data reveals significant pockets of anxiety regarding security and corporate ethics.
The survey of 200 respondents in Ireland indicates that 61 percent of business leaders are concerned about AI-related cybersecurity risks. This figure represents the highest level of concern across the four markets surveyed, which also include the UK, Germany, and France.
AI adoption friction point
The findings suggest that the rapid adoption of generative AI tools has created a friction point between innovation and safety. In Ireland, 28% of leaders now view AI as a net risk to their organization rather than a benefit. This is notably higher than the 16 percent recorded in both the UK and Germany, and the 19 percent seen in France.
Corporate transformation is also weighing heavily on the minds of Irish management. The data shows that 45% of leaders are worried about how the technology is reshaping their organisational structures, while 44% expressed concern about the impact AI might have on their own specific job roles.
“AI has proven to be a powerful driver of efficiency, but at Expleo, we see many organisations facing challenges in implementing and scaling it,” said Phil Codd, managing director for Expleo in Ireland.
“The results from the AI Pulse tracker appear to mirror this challenge, highlighting the need for businesses to balance innovation with governance, security, and a robust operational framework.”
The anxiety regarding job security is not unique to Ireland. The February data showed a rise in job-related concerns across all surveyed markets. In France, a majority of business leaders – 52% – now say they are worried about the future of their roles in an AI-driven economy.
Trust remains a hurdle for many Irish firms. One in five respondents stated they do not trust their own organisation to use AI ethically.
Expleo intends to publish the tracker monthly to monitor how these attitudes shift as the regulatory landscape, including the EU AI Act, continues to evolve.
Codd added that the goal is to ensure clients are “well-positioned to navigate these challenges effectively” by tracking these shifts in sentiment over time.
The research was conducted by the insights agency Opinium on behalf of Expleo, surveying a total of 800 business leaders across the four participating nations.
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