It seems Irish CEOs have finally had enough of just reacting. Faced with a storm of rising costs, unpredictable global politics, and ever-increasing regulation, they’re not just battening down the hatches. Instead, they are drawing up blueprints for a radical transformation by 2026, and at the heart of this plan lies a massive bet on Artificial Intelligence. A recent CEO Outlook survey from EY reveals a startling sense of urgency, with every single leader surveyed either deep in a major transformation programme or about to kick one off.
What we’re witnessing isn’t just a simple tech upgrade. This is a fundamental rewiring of Irish business. As Helena O’Dwyer, EY Parthenon Ireland lead partner, aptly put it, leaders are “pushing ahead with major transformation programmes, from adopting AI to strengthening cyber security and redesigning how their organisations work”. This isn’t about tinkering at the edges; it’s about building an entirely new engine while the car is still moving.
The New Irish Playbook: AI as a Non-Negotiable
For years, AI has been a buzzword, a nice-to-have on a corporate presentation slide. Now, it’s become a core survival tool. With 65% of Irish CEOs bracing for higher operating costs, driven by everything from wage inflation to energy prices, efficiency is no longer a goal—it’s a necessity. This is where Irish AI investment moves from the theoretical to the intensely practical.
The data is compelling. A staggering 85% of leaders who have already deployed AI report that the initiatives either met or exceeded their expectations. Better yet, almost all of them (98%) are convinced AI will be a transformative force within their organisations in the next two years. The talk has stopped, and the implementation has begun in earnest.
What’s Top of the CEO To-Do List?
When you look at the CEO tech priorities, a clear picture emerges of what’s keeping them up at night. They are not chasing shiny objects; they are deploying technology to solve their biggest, most immediate problems.
– Slashing Costs (50%): The number one priority is using technology to make their operations leaner and more efficient. AI’s ability to automate repetitive tasks, optimise supply chains, and predict maintenance needs is a direct answer to margin pressure.
– Winning Over Customers (46%): In a crowded market, customer experience is a key battleground. CEOs are looking to AI to power everything from hyper-personalised marketing to intelligent chatbots that solve problems instantly, creating stickier, more profitable relationships.
– Accelerating Sustainability (44%): This isn’t just about corporate social responsibility anymore. AI can drastically improve energy efficiency, optimise waste reduction, and help companies meet stringent environmental, social, and governance (ESG) targets, which are increasingly tied to investment and brand reputation.
Building the Unshakeable Business
Let’s talk about operational resilience. It’s a term that gets thrown around a lot, but what does it actually mean? Think of it like the difference between a classic car and a modern one. Your vintage motor might be beautiful, but it has no anti-lock brakes, no traction control, and no airbags. It functions perfectly until it suddenly doesn’t, and the consequences can be catastrophic.
A modern car, however, is packed with sensors and systems actively working to prevent a crash. It’s constantly adjusting, reacting to road conditions in milliseconds. That’s what AI offers a business today: the ability to sense market shifts, supply chain disruptions, or changes in customer behaviour and adjust in real-time. This proactive stability is the essence of operational resilience, moving a company from being fragile to being agile.
The Geopolitical Tightrope Walk
Of course, no amount of internal optimisation can completely insulate a business from the outside world. The survey, as detailed by Business Plus, found that geopolitical risk mitigation is a huge factor, with 46% of CEOs admitting they’ve paused or delayed a planned investment because of global uncertainty.
This isn’t a sign of paralysis, but of prudence. They are re-evaluating where and how to invest, prioritising stable regions and secure supply chains. Ireland, in this context, stands out as a prime destination for their capital. This creates a powerful feedback loop: as global instability rises, the strategic importance of a robust, AI-powered domestic operation becomes even more critical, driving further Irish AI investment.
Integrating Intelligence, Not Just Technology
The push for transformation isn’t just about buying software. It’s about weaving different strands of AI—like generative AI for content creation and machine learning for predictive analytics—into the fabric of the organisation. But this integration comes with a huge caveat: cybersecurity. It’s the primary concern for 30% of CEOs when it comes to AI, and for good reason. As businesses become more connected and data-driven, their attack surface expands.
This means the budget for AI must go hand-in-hand with a budget for securing it. You can’t build a digital fortress and leave the front door wide open. This dynamic is fuelling a massive demand for talent.
The People Behind the Tech
For all the talk of automation, this transformation is profoundly human. You can’t implement an AI strategy without people who understand data, cybersecurity, and cloud engineering. Sixty per cent of Irish CEOs plan to maintain or even increase their hiring over the next year, but they are hunting for a very specific skill set.
This signals a critical need for workforce reskilling. Companies that invest in training their existing employees to work alongside new AI systems will be the ones that truly unlock their potential. This isn’t about replacing humans; it’s about augmenting them.
The Deal-Making Surge
How do you transform an entire enterprise in just a few years? For many, the answer is: you don’t do it alone. An incredible 98% of Irish CEOs are planning a strategic transaction. Half are looking at mergers and acquisitions (M&A), while 68% are exploring joint ventures or strategic alliances.
This isn’t just empire-building. It’s a calculated strategy to acquire technology, talent, and market access faster than they could possibly build it from scratch. Buying a cutting-edge AI start-up or partnering with a data analytics firm can shave years off a transformation roadmap, providing a vital edge in the race to 2026. This trend is a massive component of the broader European tech transformation.
Ultimately, the message from Ireland’s boardrooms is clear: the era of incremental change is over. The confluence of economic pressure and technological opportunity has created a tipping point. The next two years will be defined by bold, decisive action, with AI not just as a tool, but as the very foundation of the resilient, intelligent, and competitive Irish enterprise of the future. The plans are ambitious, but the alternative—doing nothing—is simply no longer an option.
What do you think is the biggest hurdle for Irish companies in this AI-driven transformation: access to talent, cybersecurity risks, or the cost of implementation? Share your thoughts below.
