Ronan Walsh is Head of Technology Consulting at EY Ireland.
Irish technology leaders are highly interested in artificial intelligence, but most have not invested in the necessary technology and do not yet have an AI strategy, new research has found.
Almost one in five (18%) technology leaders say their company's generative AI (Gen AI) tools are completely prohibited, while six in 10 (59%) say they have unlicensed Gen AI tools are most likely to be used by employees. Only 6% of organizations have a formal AI usage policy.
The findings are included in EY Ireland's annual Technology Leaders Survey, which sought the views of 150 people in senior technology roles across a wide range of organizations in Ireland.
A key finding is that despite interest in AI, companies have yet to develop a concrete strategy to ensure AI benefits their business. Just over 6 in 10 (62%) have not invested in AI technology or have a strategy in place.
Cybersecurity risks are considered the biggest challenge facing technology leaders, cited by 38pc, an increase of 4 points from last year's survey.
It’s essential for technology leaders to develop robust AI policies
The second biggest concern was talent acquisition, cited by 37pc. This is a decrease compared to last year, when he was the central concern of 45% of technology leaders.
Almost half (43%) of respondents said sustainability reporting tools were the most valuable technology coming to market.
Ronan Walsh, head of technology consulting at EY Ireland, says research shows most organizations are focusing less on AI strategy and more on more pressing issues such as cloud migration, cybersecurity and technology to help with regulatory requirements. It has been shown that there is.
“While this somewhat cautious approach to AI is typical of the technology adoption lifecycle, the opportunity for AI, and Gen AI in particular, is increasing as technology leaders develop robust AI policies and capitalize on this breakthrough innovation. It means it's essential to do so, or you risk being left behind,” Walsh said.
“By integrating strong governance and innovative AI applications, businesses can responsibly and sustainably develop new opportunities while ensuring their competitiveness in the digital age.
“Elsewhere, the race for talent continues. Also, the scale of the challenge, particularly posed by new reporting sustainability requirements such as CSRD and CSDDD, and cybersecurity with NIS2 and DORA.”
