The survey, conducted on behalf of the UX Design Institute, comes amid a flurry of new tools and models from OpenAI, Google and Anthropic into Irish workplaces.
Almost two-thirds (65pc) of Irish employees say they now use AI in their jobs at least occasionally, with 14pc using them daily.
However, younger staff lead the switch to AI, with 76pc of under-25s using AI for work “to some extent” and 20pc using it daily.
In contrast, 48pc of those aged over 50 say they “never” use AI at work.
“What we are seeing on the ground is that people are mostly experimenting with large language models like ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Copilot,” said Colman Walsh, CEO of the UX Design Institute.
“They use them for a wide range of everyday tasks [such as] drafting emails and documents, summarising reports, generating ideas and speeding up routine admin [duties]. In creative roles, image generation tools such as Midjourney and Adobe Firefly are popular tools for creating mock-ups and exploring early visual directions.”
The survey claims that only 15pc of respondents feel “very confident” they’re using AI to its full potential. This drops to 6pc among those aged 50 and over.
“Professionals tend to have the most success when they use these tools to support their own expertise, for example to brainstorm, to explore different angles or to refine work they have already started,” said Mr Walsh.
“Difficulties usually arise when people rely on AI as a source of knowledge or truth. This is where hallucinations are most likely to creep in, which can slow down work and make people more hesitant to use the tools again.”
According to the survey, 63pc claim that training would be valuable, rising to 71pc among desk-based workers.
“Overall, we are seeing AI usage in the workplace increasing steadily but access and skills remain significant barriers,” said Mr Walsh.
”Many workers still do not have permission to use AI tools in their organisation, or are restricted to a single approved tool that does not always meet their needs or align with their tasks. And even when access is available, they feel they lack the confidence and training required to use the tools effectively and responsibly.”
The survey showed mixed emotions among Irish adults toward AI, with 41pc expressing a “negative” view, 31pc saying that they are positively disposed and 28pc expressing a “neutral” position.
Despite reticence among pockets of GenZ respondents, positivity towards AI remains strongest among younger adults, with 42pc of under-25s saying that they feel upbeat about AI’s impact on jobs, compared with just 22pc of those aged 50 and over.
“The conversation about AI and jobs has become dominated by fear,” said Mr Walsh.
“But our data shows a more balanced reality. Yes, some are cautious but most people are open-minded or optimistic about its potential impact. They’re curious, not panicked. That’s a healthy place for Ireland to be as we navigate this technological shift.”
The UX Design Institute survey comes after Google announced the launch of Gemini 3, promising substantial enhancements in ‘agentic’ AI functions to allow tech tools execute more complicated tasks.
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