Ireland’s technology leaders are navigating a defining inflection point, and the findings carry direct relevance for associations and institutes. The fifth annual EY Ireland Tech Leaders Outlook Survey, drawing on data from 150 senior technology leaders in March and April 2026, finds the skills shortage has deepened significantly and AI investment is accelerating, even as the ability to capture its value lags.

The research presents a positive and urgent agenda for associations and institutes. Three themes define where professional bodies can contribute most: the deepening skills gap that CPD infrastructure can begin to close, the AI investment surge demanding new capability frameworks, and the succession planning challenge that professional communities are structurally positioned to support.

The scale of Ireland’s skills challenge has sharpened considerably. The proportion of technology leaders citing a shortage of skilled employees as their most significant barrier has risen from 24% in 2025 to 36% in 2026, while internal capacity concerns have grown from 6% to 16%. Almost 20% are prioritising succession planning. As EY Ireland head of technology consulting Ronan Walsh observed, organisations are struggling to find the talent needed to make AI work in practice.

AI investment is accelerating, but translating it into value remains uneven. Some 82% of Irish technology leaders are currently investing in AI, up from 44% last year, while 40% have a formal AI strategy and 45% are exploring its possibilities. One in five say they have yet to see meaningful value, and the same proportion cite an inability to adopt AI fast enough as a key concern, up from 12% in 2025.

The research also finds that AI is not expected to reshape the talent market in the near term. Some 84% of respondents believe AI will have no impact on recruitment levels, while 6% expect it to reduce hiring and just 3% anticipate an increase. That consensus reflects a recognition that technology and human talent are complementary in the transformation programmes dominating Irish technology leaders’ agendas.

Three priorities stand out for association leaders. First, expand CPD offerings in AI skills, technology strategy, and transformation capability, targeting the shortfalls the EY research identifies as most acute. Second, build succession planning and leadership development pathways members can draw on as internal capacity pressures intensify. Third, convene peer learning forums where technology leaders can exchange practical approaches to closing the gap between AI investment and measurable value.

The EY Ireland Tech Leaders Outlook Survey 2026 makes clear that Ireland’s technology sector is ambitious, well-invested, and under real pressure. The opportunity for associations and institutes is equally clear: professional bodies that provide the skills, leadership frameworks, and peer connections technology leaders need right now will become essential partners in Ireland’s AI-powered growth agenda.

(The views expressed by the writer are his/her own and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of BusinessRiver.)