New Expleo survey reveals workforce transformation challenges as companies struggle with data organisation and EU compliance.
Irish firms are getting ready for the next chapter of artificial intelligence, agentic AI. They are going so far as to being prepared to treat AI like another employee.
Seven in ten large Irish enterprises believe artificial intelligence’s impact on workforces is so profound that it should be managed like an employee to avoid conflicts with company culture and people, according to new research from global technology consulting firm Expleo.
“The pace of change that we are seeing from AI is like nothing we have seen before – not even the Industrial Revolution unfolded so quickly or indiscriminately in terms of the industries and people it impacted”
The findings come from Expleo’s Business Transformation Index 2025, which surveyed 200 IT and business decision-makers in Irish enterprises with 250 or more employees.
The research reveals a complex relationship between Irish businesses and AI adoption, with significant challenges around data management and regulatory compliance.
Fundamental changes to hiring and skills
While 98% of large enterprises are using AI in some form, two-thirds (67%) believe their organisation cannot effectively use AI because their data is too disorganised. As a result, only 30% have successfully integrated and scaled AI models into their systems.
Almost a quarter (23%) admitted they are struggling to find use cases for AI beyond the use of off-the-shelf large language models (LLMs), highlighting the gap between AI adoption and practical implementation.
Despite being in the early stages of AI deployment, companies are already making significant workforce adjustments. The research found that 72% of organisations have changed their job candidate criteria because AI can now handle some tasks while requiring expertise in other areas.
More than two-thirds (68%) of enterprises deploying AI have stopped hiring for certain roles entirely because AI can handle the requirements. However, 72% report they will pay higher salaries for team members with AI-specific skills, indicating new opportunities alongside displacement concerns.
Ethics and compliance concerns
The integration of AI into workplace operations has raised significant ethical and regulatory questions. Three-quarters (78%) of organisations now include correct and ethical AI use in their employment contracts.
However, 25% of business and IT leaders acknowledge their AI systems used for hiring, retention, or employee progression could be biased. This uncertainty may explain why a quarter of decision-makers are not confident their organisation complies with the EU AI Act.
The regulatory burden appears substantial, with 76% believing the EU AI Act will hinder AI adoption in their organisation.
‘Untrodden ground’ for business leaders
Phil Codd, managing director of Expleo Ireland, emphasised the unprecedented nature of AI’s impact on workplaces.
“The pace of change that we are seeing from AI is like nothing we have seen before – not even the Industrial Revolution unfolded so quickly or indiscriminately in terms of the industries and people it impacted,” Codd said.
“And, the workforce’s relationship with AI is complicated – on the one hand, they are turning to AI to make their jobs more manageable and to reduce stress, but at the same time, they worry that its broad deployment across their organisation could impinge on their work and therefore their value as an employee.”
Codd described the current situation as “untrodden ground” for business leaders trying to implement AI both practically and ethically without causing team conflicts.
“There is no question that there is a new digital colleague joining Irish workplaces and it will define the next chapter of our working lives and economy,” he continued. “However, the success of this seemingly autonomous technology will always depend on the humans and data that back it up.”
Strategic approach to AI integration
Codd outlined Expleo’s approach to helping enterprises navigate AI adoption challenges.
“At Expleo, we work with enterprises to ensure they are reaping the benefits of AI by looking holistically at their people, processes and data,” he said.
“AI requires, and will bring, significant changes for all of us and we are helping organisations to navigate and plan for that. It is only when organisations and their people are ready to embrace change that the true benefits of AI will be realised.”
The Business Transformation Index 2025 is the sixth edition of Expleo’s research examining digital transformation, geopolitics, AI and diversity, equity and inclusion themes among Ireland’s largest enterprises.
Main image at top: Siobhán Smith, Global Brand & Communications Director, Expleo; and Phil Codd, managing director, Expleo Ireland
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