Irish firms weigh up risks posed by AI

The top artificial intelligence (AI) attack scenarios which organisations around the world are most concerned about over the next 12 months are: AI-powered malware (62%), AI-powered supply chain attacks (56%) and deepfake social engineering (48%). 

Irish organisations broadly mirror these global concerns, though many are still earlier in their adoption of AI-enabled capabilities and technologies. 

This is according to PwC’s 2026 Global Digital Trust Insights survey, covering the latest cyber security trends and how organisations are rethinking cyber protection. 

The research is based on the views of nearly 4,000 business and tech executives from across 72 countries and territories, including Ireland. 

In the face of intensifying AI threats, more than one third (35%) of organisations around the world are prioritising agentic AI as a security capability over the next 12 months.

Agentic AI is an advanced form of AI capable of autonomous decision-making, action-taking and process optimisation with little or no human intervention. 

PwC’s 2026 Global Digital Trust Insights survey finds that 57% of Irish firms are increasing cyber risk investment, but unclear risk appetite and leadership uncertainty are prominent barriers to using AI for cyber defence. 

Over half (52%) of Irish respondents cite an unclear risk appetite as the greatest barrier to using AI for cyber defence, well above the global average of 39%. 

Leadership uncertainty as to the value of AI for cyber defence is another blocker for 42% for Irish firms, also above global counterparts. 

Just 8% of Irish organisations invest ‘significantly’ more on proactive cyber security measures than reactive measures, far behind global counterparts (24%).

A further 43% invest ‘slightly’ more on proactive cyber security measures. 

“Cyber security is no longer just a technical issue; it’s a strategic imperative shaped by global events. These shifts reflect a growing recognition: cyber security must evolve with the world around it. And that means acting decisively, not just reacting,” Shomo Das, director, PwC Ireland, says. 

“For Irish firms, the message is clear: they recognise the potential of advanced technologies, but many are still finding their footing. Building clarity, confidence and capability will be key to unlocking their full value.” 

Over four out of ten (42%) Irish companies in the PwC Global Digital Trust Insights survey said that a lack of knowledge had been the top challenge in applying AI for cyber defence in the past 12 months while 35% cited a lack of relevant skills. 

However, Irish organisations signal a stronger commitment to continuous learning than their global counterparts: 43% said that ongoing security training will shape their cyber security spending over the next year — ahead of the global average of 28%. 

Irish businesses are responding to address cyber-talent gaps by prioritising areas such as upskilling and reskilling (Ireland: 54%; global: 47%), AI and machine learning tools (Ireland: 41%; global: 53%) and security automation tools (Ireland: 38%; global:48%). 

At the same time, many are looking outward, with 35% of Irish organisations planning to implement managed cyber security services in the next 12 months. 

It’s a strategic shift that reflects growing demand for specialist expertise, scalability and cost efficiency. 

“New and emerging technologies and threat landscape have created a tipping point. In Ireland, the survey highlights a commitment to increasing investment in cyber risk but greater focus is needed on using AI for cyber defence and on proactive cyber security measures,” says Shomo Das. 

“Cyber leaders in Ireland and around the world must chart a path forward and that requires executive alignment. The organisations that will lead in the future are those investing in cyber not just to respond, but to anticipate. This year’s findings show that resilience comes from foresight, not hindsight. 

“Organisations should ensure that they are also investing in AI and cyber skills, prioritising the upskilling and reskilling of their cyber teams in order to clearly and proactively map the cyber risks they face.” 

Looking more broadly at AI agent adoption, Irish organisations are moving beyond pilots, but trust and data foundations remain the biggest barriers to scale, Pratuesh Raj, director, Data & AI, PwC Ireland, says. 

PwC Ireland’s AI Agent Survey 2025, published in November 2025, finds that 70% of organisations plan to increase AI-related budgets off the back of interest in AI agents. 

Yet only 9% report broad adoption, with most still exploring or progressing limited deployments. 

“Early benefits are visible. While 53% of Irish firms report productivity gains from AI agents, only 38% see cost savings. Trust is particularly thin: just 7% express high trust in agents across multiple functions,” Pratuesh Raj notes. 

The survey highlights data readiness as a central constraint. “Ireland’s trust gap is anchored in data readiness. 

Four in ten organisations cite data issues as the top barrier to realising value from AI agents. Integration with legacy systems is also more acute locally compared to US peers.

“The impact of low trust is not abstract, especially for specific high-stakes activities. 

“Companies hesitate to hand over critical decisions to systems they can’t fully audit, govern or explain. This explains why measurable value is lagging despite investment intent.” 

Customer service is now the leading use case of AI agents in Ireland, ahead of operations and finance. 

But adoption remains patchy in sales and marketing, and only a minority is using agents to redesign processes or create new products, Pratuesh Raj adds. 

“Until governance, assurance and risk ownership are crystal clear, leaders will keep AI agents away from autonomous decisions in revenue-critical journeys and the transformative value that AI holds.”

This article was first published on www.businessplus.ie