AI job replacement fears remain high - report
Concern among workers about their jobs being taken by artificial intelligence remains high, according to new research from recruitment firm Morgan McKinley.
New research from recruitment firm Morgan McKinley reveals that fears over artificial intelligence (AI) replacing jobs among workers remain high. According to the 2026 Global AI Report, 46% of employees surveyed expressed concern that AI could replace their role. Among employers, 64% reported AI had no impact on headcount, while 7% indicated reductions and 13% stated AI had slowed planned expansion.
In Ireland, 47% of employers surveyed do not currently use AI in recruitment, with 16% unsure, leaving 37% who do use AI in some form. Surprisingly, 62% of employees surveyed use AI daily at work, with an additional 15% utilizing it weekly. Chatbots lead the way, followed by tools for meetings, transcription, scheduling, documents, and presentations. Nearly a quarter of respondents use AI for coding or data analysis.
Interestingly, despite the operational benefits reported by employers, employees are taking the initiative to develop AI skills on their own time and using personal accounts for work purposes. Morgan McKinley's Global Director, Head of Research & Foreign Direct Investment, Trayc Keevans, noted that the next phase of AI adoption depends on whether organizations can turn this individual initiative into workforce capability through meaningful training and governance that employees understand and can apply effectively.
The Morgan McKinley 2026 Global AI Report is based on a survey of 1,962 employees and 144 employers across multiple countries, with Irish findings drawn from 680 respondents who were either employees or employers.
Written by urgent.news from RTE News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
