AI is likely behind Ireland’s youth employment slowdown, report finds

Why youth employment is the 'critical question'

The findings, reported by The Journal, stop short of blaming AI for widespread job losses: it remains "too early to be definitive", the report says.

The evidence it does point to is stark. Citing CSO figures, the EGFSN notes employment growth among people aged 15 to 24 has been flat for two years and contracted over the past year.

Across the economy as a whole, employment grew by an average of 2.2 per cent.

Expert Group's report named 'Future Skills Needs' reported that "some of this could and is likely to be due to the impact of AI."

The report singles out the effect on younger people and graduates as a "critical question", warning that traditional entry routes into careers could be reshaped as AI is adopted more widely.

It also cites research from Anthropic which found early-career workers reported AI could carry out a greater proportion of their tasks than more experienced employees.

That matters here more than most places. Ireland has emerged as a major hub for AI jobs and talent, and Enterprise Minister Peter Burke has said the country "moved quickly" to become a global leader in AI adoption.

However, it is a strategy strategy that reads differently if the same technology is closing the door on first jobs.

The wider jobs picture has been jumpy in any case, with multinationals such as Boston Scientific flagging potential job cuts, while AI scams fleecing the Irish public.

For now, the EGFSN's message is that these numbers need watching closely.