Irish office workers save an average of 17 working days a year through the use of artificial intelligence (AI), according to new research from Irish IT managed services provider Auxilion.
The national survey was conducted by Census Wide on behalf of Auxilion and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and surveyed 1,000 office workers across Ireland.
They found that employees save an average of 2 hours and 54 minutes per week by using AI tools in their daily tasks.
The time saved is primarily spent on more valuable work, with 44% of respondents saying they would use the time to focus on higher-priority tasks and 42% saying it helped them be more productive.
Almost a third (29%) are using their extra time to upskill or take part in training.
But the findings also highlight growing tensions around the use of technology in the workplace.
One in five workers (22%) said they would consider changing jobs if their employer banned AI tools.
Among those currently using AI, 68% say it has made their job easier, and 27% admit they would not be able to effectively complete their job without it.
Ethical concerns are also growing.
Almost a third (31%) of respondents said they had expressed concerns about the ethical use of AI within their organization, and more than a quarter (27%) acknowledged that some of their company's use of AI could be considered unethical.
The most commonly cited suspicious activities include using AI tools for business tasks without notifying management (45%) and entering sensitive internal or customer data into AI systems (26%).
Despite these risks, 42% of office workers said they have received no formal training or guidance on how to use AI safely or effectively.
Concerns about AI also persist, with 48% of respondents worried that some or all of their roles will be replaced by AI in the future, with this concern most common among 18-24 year olds (54%).
eleanor dempseyDirector of Strategy, Innovation and Transformation at Auxilion commented: “There is no denying that AI tools can significantly improve personal productivity.
“However, the reality is that most organizations have yet to see significant improvements in overall performance or revenue, even with widespread adoption of generative AI.
“Too often, AI is treated as a band-aid instead of being integrated into the operational fabric of a business.
“Without strong governance, risk management, and a clear focus on business outcomes, companies risk spending more time dealing with AI issues than realizing the benefits.
“So the real opportunity lies in building enterprise-grade solutions that are secure, compliant, and truly transformative for the entire organization.”
