- ESRI publishes new research on AI adoption among Irish SMEs
- Bulletin 26-1: Public Investment in Transport Infrastructure: A Competitiveness and Productivity Perspective
- Appointment of new Chair of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council
- Bulletin 25-5: Benchmarking the Performance of Ireland’s Public Administration, 2024
- NCPC Welcomes Publication of Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan
- Budget 2026 and Competitiveness: Navigating Uncertainty
- NCPC Welcomes Government's Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity
- Call for Expressions of Interest - Member of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council
- Bulletin 25-4: IMD World Competitiveness Rankings
- Ireland's Competitiveness Challenge 2025
- The Chair presents to the second annual Competitiveness Summit of Ministers hosted by the Taoiseach
- Bulletin 25-3: The Competitiveness Implications of Post-Pandemic Learning Losses
- Bulletin 25-2: Re-estimating Ireland’s International Competitiveness Performance
- Retrospective Review, 2020-2023
- NCPC's South-East Regional Seminar
- Bulletin 25-1: Developments in Ireland's National Productivity Statistics
- The Government Response to Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2024
- Budget 2025 and Competitiveness: Investing in Ireland’s Future Prosperity
- NCPC Chair attends the Competitiveness Summit
- Ireland's Competitiveness Challenge 2024
- Bulletin 24-4 IMD World Competitiveness Rankings
- Bulletin 24-3 Competitiveness and the Housing Market in Ireland
- NCPC's Mid-West Regional Seminar
- NCPC Welcomes DETE-ESRI Joint Economic Research Programme Seminar
- Bulletin 24-2 Ireland’s Competitiveness and Productivity Framework
- ESRI Publish Working Paper of DETE ESRI Joint Research Programme
- Bulletin 24-1 Re-estimating Ireland’s International Innovation Performance
ESRI publishes new research on AI adoption among Irish SMEs
Today, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) published a new paper, Drivers of AI adoption and investment intentions: Insights from Irish SMEs, examining factors influencing the uptake of artificial intelligence by Irish micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises.
The paper, produced under the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and ESRI joint research programme on Productivity Challenges, draws on novel survey data to analyse how firm characteristics, perceived barriers, and levels of knowledge shape both current AI adoption and future investment intentions.
The research finds that knowledge‑related barriers play a significant role in explaining differences in current AI adoption, while operational barriers – such as access to finance, security concerns, and skills shortages – are particularly influential in shaping future investment intentions. From a policy perspective, the findings suggest that raising awareness of AI’s benefits and providing a stable regulatory and security environment could support increased AI uptake among SMEs.
The joint research programme, renewed in 2024, provides evidence that will inform the Department and the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council’s work on productivity enhancing reforms.
You can read the paper via here: Drivers of AI adoption and investment intentions: Insights from Irish SMEs or see attachment below.
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