Professional services firm Accenture's latest Talent Tracker survey found that technology job openings have surged so far this year, with a 16.3% increase over the past six months.
The tracker is based on analyzing data from LinkedIn's professional network and a survey assessing existing professional skills and those needed at organizations across the country.
The latest survey shows that demand for AI professionals is growing by 142%, followed by data analytics (36%) and cloud computing (21%).
This contrasts with IDA figures from earlier this month, which showed tech hiring remains fairly tight.
Audrey O'Mahony, Accenture's managing director and head of talent and organisation in Ireland, said the figures reflected businesses realising that AI could deliver a huge competitive advantage.
“Especially given the impact generative AI will have on the workplace, it's essential that companies not only hire talent with these skills but also equip their existing employees with generative AI knowledge. Companies that focus on building employee trust and reskilling at scale will be the ones to benefit from this shift,” she said.
The study found that demand for tech workers in Ireland is primarily spread across eight regional hubs, but Dublin's share of the country's total tech workforce is increasing, rising from 59% in the previous six months to 63.2%.
Other areas where Accenture has focused specifically on tech jobs are Cork, Galway, Kildare, Limerick, Waterford, Westmeath and Sligo.
The Accenture data follows the release of an IDA report earlier this month which showed that new job creation by multinational companies has slowed significantly so far this year, resulting in net job losses last year.
While the total number of people working in Ireland is at an all-time high, the IDA jobs news coincides with a Bank of Ireland report last week which showed job creation is now being driven by domestic employers, particularly the government, rather than competitive multinationals.
IDA Ireland said it supported 131 investments outside Dublin in the first half of this year, which could create 8,900 future jobs. This is down from the first half of 2023, when it reported 139 investments which are expected to create 12,072 jobs.
