Canaries in the coal mine? How AI could reshape work in Ireland

Artificial intelligence is increasingly seen as a disruptive force in the job market, particularly for new graduates in Ireland. Recent announcements and discussions about AI's impact on the workforce and economy have intensified concerns, especially given Ireland's tech-reliant economy.

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I don't know a single person that's gotten a job out of our year.

Many Irish employers have reportedly reduced the number of entry and graduate-level positions available this year. A survey by recruitment platform IrishJobs indicated that nearly half of employers made such reductions. Graduates themselves suspect AI's proliferation is a key reason for the scarcity of opportunities.

Caoimhe, a UCD graduate searching for Human Resources roles, stated, "I don't know a single person that's gotten a job out of our year." She finds it increasingly difficult to secure entry-level positions. Another graduate, Meri, expressed anxiety, saying, "It's a shame to see something that I can't even write a good essay with is going to take my job."

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It's a shame to see something that I can't even write a good essay with is going to take my job.

Matt Mion, UCD Student Union Education Officer and a Pharmacology graduate, is also struggling to launch his career. He noted that the pharmaceutical sector is not hiring many graduates, attributing this partly to economic factors and partly to AI replacing entry-level skills needed in factories and labs. Mion believes the current education system is failing to equip students for a future where AI automates early career stages.

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The pharma sector is not really taking on graduates. That has to do with Trump but also the entry-level skills that are needed on factory lines and in research labs are being replaced through AI.

He emphasized the need for graduates to possess advanced skills from the outset and for educational institutions to integrate training on working with AI. "If we're not teaching those skills and embedding that at an educational level, we're going to leave people with degrees that can't be used," Mion warned. Tech leaders like Elon Musk and Dario Amodei have made bold predictions about AI's potential to eventually make human jobs obsolete.

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If we're not teaching those skills and embedding that at an educational level, we're going to leave people with degrees that can't be used.