Employers rather than staff are capturing most of the productivity benefits from the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace.
That is according to a new study from University College Dublin (UCD), Queen’s University Belfast, the Nevin Economic Research Institute and Comillas Pontifical University, Madrid.
The findings come from the Working in Ireland Survey 2025, a large-scale survey administered to 4,300 workers in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
It found that almost a third of workers now use AI at work but that this appears to be benefiting employers rather than staff.
“Most workers who save time using AI say they reinvest that time to take on more work, rather than using it to achieve a better work life balance,” the report found.
“A third of workers report the pace of their work has intensified and very few, a mere 4.7%, report any increase in their earnings as a result of using AI,” according to the study.
The report, which was led by Professor John Geary from UCD, found that AI adoption is strongly divided by education, occupation, gender, earnings and firm size.
Workers with postgraduate degrees are up to 15 times more likely to use AI than those with basic educational qualifications, according to the study.
There is also a considerable gender gap in AI use, with males considerably more likely than females to use multiple AI tools in their work.
On the question of AI leading to job losses, the report finds that while the evidence is mixed and complex, the warning signs are clear.
“Job automation risks leading to job displacement,” according to the report.
“If AI permits a worker to do more repetitive work usually performed by a colleague, that colleague may no longer be necessary.”
However, the other half of AI users who derive time savings from using AI, redirect the time saved to undertake more complex and creative job tasks.
“In these instances, AI use might be fairly claimed to benefit workers in that it enlarges their responsibilities into new more challenging and fulfilling areas,” the study found.
“Here, it acts to complement rather than to substitute for higher-order human judgement and creativity.”
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke said the Working in Ireland Survey 2025, provides a comprehensive picture of the growing impact of AI on workplaces across the island of Ireland.
“As Ireland continues to position itself as a leader in digital innovation, it is vital that the adoption of AI is both responsible and inclusive,” Mr Burke said.
