80% of SMEs Say AI Can Transform Their Business, But Lack of Skills Keeps Adoption Rates Low

Why It Matters

Closing the AI skills gap will unlock productivity gains for a sector that underpins Ireland’s economy and accelerate the country’s broader digital transformation agenda.

Key Takeaways

• 80% of Irish SMEs see AI as growth driver
• Only 30% cite fear, 27% lack skills as adoption barriers
• Google launches AI Works events and 10,000 scholarships
• Micro‑businesses and non‑exporters most at risk of lagging
• Initiative supports national Digital and AI Strategy goals

Pulse Analysis

Irish small and medium‑sized enterprises are vocal about AI’s promise, but the survey reveals a stark disconnect between optimism and implementation. While eight in ten firms anticipate AI‑enabled growth, more than a quarter remain paralyzed by skill shortages and a comparable share fear costly missteps. This confidence‑capability gap mirrors a broader European trend where SMEs struggle to translate emerging technologies into day‑to‑day operations, often because they lack clear roadmaps and affordable training pathways.

Google’s AI Works for Ireland programme directly addresses these pain points. By rolling out face‑to‑face workshops in Dublin, Galway, Cork and Monaghan, the initiative offers hands‑on guidance from AI experts, demystifying use‑case selection and deployment. Complementary to the events, the partnership with Coursera provides up to 10,000 scholarships for the Google AI Professional Certificate, covering more than 20 business‑focused modules such as data analytics, content generation and customer communication automation. This dual approach of experiential learning and credentialed upskilling equips founders and staff with practical tools, reducing the perceived risk of AI experimentation.

The rollout aligns with Ireland’s National Digital and AI Strategy, which prioritises upskilling the workforce and fostering a competitive digital ecosystem. By targeting micro‑businesses, long‑standing firms and non‑exporters—segments identified as most vulnerable—the programme seeks to prevent a widening productivity divide. Successful adoption could lift overall SME output, enhance export readiness, and position Ireland as a model for coordinated public‑private AI acceleration. Stakeholders are advised to engage early with local enterprise offices to secure training slots and scholarship funding, ensuring their businesses are not left behind in the AI‑driven economy.