AI use is up but workers face growing pressures – PwC 2026 Workforce Hopes and Fears survey Ireland

A growing AI skills divide is creating a diverging workforce, with the majority of workers at risk of being left behind as access to learning and development falls – even as AI use and the pace of workplace change accelerate. 

PwC’s 2026 Irish Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey, which interviewed over 1,000 Irish workers alongside nearly 50,000 global workers across 48 countries and regions, finds diverging optimism in the growth trajectories and experiences of employees – as workers face rapid change, rising workloads and greater cost-of-living pressures.  The survey publishes in Ireland and globally today and this press release deals with the Irish results.  

The survey reveals that less than half (45%) of Irish workers agree that they have access to the learning and development resources they need (Global: 51%), down from 57% last year (Global: 59%).  At the same time, over half (56%) are confident in their ability to learn new skills (Global: 61%).  

Laoise Mullane, Director, Workforce Consulting and AI adoption Lead, PwC Ireland, said: “At a time when Irish and global workers are feeling the pressure of heavier workloads and constant change, those using AI regularly are reporting higher levels of confidence, ambition and optimism. The leadership challenge is to build on that momentum without creating a divide between those who are forging ahead with AI and those who risk being left behind, ensuring the benefits of AI are felt across the workforce.”

Workers face growing pressures 

Workers are feeling significant pressure. Just 26% of Irish workers report having money left over (after paying all the bills) at the end of the month, down 13 percentage points year on year (Global: 34% and down 8 percentage points year on year). Two-thirds (66%) said that cost of living concerns impacted their work in the last 12 months in terms of motivation, relationships with other workers and physical ability to work (Global: 62%).

A quarter (25%) agreed that they have significantly less bargaining power now compared to three years ago (Global: 29%) and is more than double the number who disagreed.

The vast majority of Irish workers say that they have had to apply new skills in their job over the past year, with a third (34%) saying that this was to a large or very large extent (Global: 40%).

Over half of Irish respondents (55%) who experienced change in the workplace feel there has been more change in the last year than in previous years (Global: 58%). Almost one-third (29%) say that feeling fatigued or burned-out limits their productivity (Global:27%).

At the same time, over half (57%) of Irish workers are very confident about their job security (Global: 61%). When considering the biggest risks to job security, more workers cite economic volatility (Ireland: 45%; Global: 57%) than AI taking on more tasks (Ireland: 41%; Global: 44%).

Over a fifth (22%) say that they are extremely or very likely to change employer in the next 12 months (Global: 19%). 34% and 28% of Irish workers respectively are extremely or very likely to seek a pay rise or a promotion. 

AI adoption has increased but at a slower pace compared to global counterparts

As workers face mounting pressure – AI adoption continues to rise but this adoption in Ireland lags global counterparts: over half (51%) of Irish workers cite using AI at work in the last 12 months, up from 43% last year (Global 2026: 64%, up from 54%).  The proportion using GenAI tools daily also increased from 10% in 2025 to 15% in 2026 (Global up from 14% to 22%).  However, the use of AI agents on a daily basis is much less – 6% in Ireland but has doubled from 3% last year (Global 2026: 10% up from 6% last year). 

Those using AI say they are more confident and empowered

Nearly half (47%) of Irish workers expect the use of AI tools in their job to increase over the next 12 months but more global counterparts expect the use of these tools to increase (59%). This group reports that the use of AI makes them feel over four times more energised and empowered rather than tired and powerless (Global: more than six times).  This group also reports that the use of AI makes them feel more than twice as confident rather than fearful (Global: more than four times as confident).

AI benefits in Ireland lag global counterparts

Of those who had used AI in the last year, 62% said that it had increased the quality of their work (Global: 72%); 58% said it had increased their creativity (Global: 67%) and 49% said they had increased their value to their employer (Global: 58%). At the same time PwC's recent AI Performance study revealed that three-quarters of AI's economic gains are being captured by just 20% of companies, with the leading companies focused on growth, not just productivity.  

PwC's 2026 Workforce Hopes and Fears survey reveals that over a quarter (27%) of Irish workers expect AI to completely or significantly transform their roles over the next three years (Global: 31%).  

Readiness is high, but capacity is constrained

Irish workers show a high degree of readiness for change. Almost three-quarters (73%) feel ready to adapt to new ways of working, while 68% understand the skills they will need for the future.  The survey also highlights that workers are learning and adapting as their jobs become more demanding.  

However, willingness to adapt does not always mean that employees have the time, support or capacity to do so. The gap between workers’ confidence in their ability to learn and their access to development resources highlights the need for employers to create practical opportunities for people to build new skills.

Employers can also help by making learning part of everyday work, protecting time for skills development, reviewing workloads and equipping managers to support employees through change. As AI adoption increases, organisations should ensure that workers have the confidence, capability and opportunity to participate.

Rebecca McCann, Senior Manager, Workforce Consulting, PwC Ireland, concluded: “The positive message is that Irish workers are ready to adapt. The challenge is turning that readiness into action. Employers need to give people the time, practical support and development opportunities to learn, experiment and participate in change. By investing in technology and workforce capability together, organisations will be better placed to translate AI adoption into meaningful value."

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Notes to Editors 

About PwC’s Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2026 

PwC’s Irish and Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2026 gathered responses from 49,364 workers across 48 countries and regions and 29 sectors, including 1,004 in Ireland, in May and June 2026. The figures in this report are weighted proportionally to the working population’s gender and age distribution in each country or region, ensuring workers’ views are broadly representative across all major geographies. 

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