Can Ireland be a global hub for AI development? The Government certainly thinks so and articulated how and why in the recently published National Digital and AI Strategy 2030. Subtitled Digital Ireland – Connecting Our People, Securing Our Future, the strategy outlines how Ireland can build on its strong digital foundations and leverage its established reputation as a digital hub to seize the immense opportunity that excellence in AI development offers.
Among the initiatives outlined in the strategy was a new National Research Centre for AI and Data Science, an AI in Research transformation programme and a new AI Office of Ireland.
According to Noelle Doody, partner, technology and transformation, Deloitte Ireland, the strategy provides the co-ordinated framework to consolidate Ireland’s position as a digital powerhouse, attract continued investment and position Irish companies and talent to lead in the global AI economy.
“The strategy also provides the governance, infrastructure commitments and frameworks necessary to protect Ireland’s digital assets while positioning the nation as a trusted, secure location for European AI development,” Doody says. “[It] uses a pragmatic approach of supporting efforts to increase resilience and decrease dependencies in critical digital value chains, whilst maintaining access to critical markets, ensuring interoperability, and protecting international collaboration with like-minded global partners.”
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Ireland’s Digital and AI Strategy is a “significant step” in strengthening its long-term competitiveness, says Rhonda Doyle, country president at Schneider Electric Ireland.
“It rightly focuses on accelerating digital and AI adoption across both the public and private sectors – supporting SMEs, building AI skills, and modernising public services. If delivered well, that combination can lift productivity, speed up innovation and help Ireland stay attractive for investment in high-value industries.”
The strategy also ultimately empowers the Irish workforce to thrive, given how exposed all workers are to AI-driven disruption, Doody adds. “The strategy commits to building an inclusive approach to protecting, supporting and empowering public service users through using AI and digital solutions to drive better public services, and workers from education and research, through to in-industry AI-literacy and re- and upskilling.”
Doody praises the “adaptability” of the strategy, noting that the goalposts will likely shift over the course of its time frame. “This is particularly important given the accelerated development of the technology, pace of adoption and changing geopolitical world and it is this ability to react and adapt which is a key success factor beyond specific measures, as the measures may have to change over time.”
According to Doyle, the strategy provides a strong framework and addresses many of the key building blocks needed to support AI adoption, including skills, innovation and digital infrastructure. But she also points out that Ireland’s ambition to become a global hub for applied AI hinges entirely on our capacity to power it sustainably.
“The strategy recognises the importance of secure, resilient, future-proofed infrastructure, but the focus needs to be more outcomes driven,” she says. “Ireland’s grid is already under significant pressure, and AI workloads require an immense amount of power.”
Data centres, for example, are expected to consume 31 per cent of national electricity by 2030 – the highest share in the EU. Doyle says Ireland must move “at pace” to modernise the energy system if it is to realise its digital ambitions. “Ultimately, you cannot have an AI strategy without an energy strategy.”
The strategy is not lacking in depth and breadth – this is demonstrated in the identification of 20 high-level objectives with 90 supporting deliverables. But one area where the strategy could go further, Doyle says, is in recognising the role AI can play in supporting Ireland’s climate and energy ambitions. AI must be seen as part of the energy solution, she believes, and not a drain on the energy system.
“Much of the conversation around AI is on energy demand, but AI has a critical role to play in managing and reducing energy use through smarter forecasting, optimisation and automation. That can deliver real outcomes such as improved energy efficiency, reduced emissions, stronger resilience, and less pressure on a strained energy system.”
As work begins on implementing the strategy, Doody says the document is critically important not only in its content, but also in its timeliness. “The window to act is closing as other nations are also moving on their digital and AI strategies and investing heavily in workforce development and AI infrastructure,” she points out. “We must implement this strategy with urgency and commitment to ensure that the nation, its people and its economy thrive in the digital age.”
