60% of employees in Ireland unfazed by AI disruption

• SD Worx research finds that 60% of employees in Ireland feel secure in their jobs, despite automation changing their roles and tasks
• Seven in 10 believe their unique human capabilities cannot be replaced by AI
• Just 7% expect AI to perform most of the tasks in their current job
• Three-quarters believe AI systems should be transparent about how they make decisions

SD Worx Ireland, the payroll and HR solutions provider paying one in five employees in Ireland, today announces the results of new research which found that 60% of employees in Ireland feel secure in their jobs, despite AI changing their roles and tasks. The research also found that employees in Ireland are more likely than those in Europe to trust their organisation to use AI in a fair and ethical way.

The findings coincide with new transparency obligations under Article 50 of the EU AI Act, which took effect on 2nd August 2026. Under the rules, people must be informed when they are interacting directly with certain AI systems, while certain AI-generated or manipulated content must be marked or disclosed. Three-quarters (75%) of employees in Ireland believe AI systems should be transparent about how they make decisions, compared with 64% of employees across Europe.

SD Worx’s research, carried out by iVOX, found that seven in 10 (69%) employees in Ireland believe their unique human capabilities cannot be replaced by AI. Just 7% believe AI will take on the majority of their tasks in their current job.

The survey found that employees with supervisory responsibilities are more likely to be increasing their use of AI. Almost half (47%) of those who supervise one or more people say they are increasingly using AI tools in their daily tasks, compared with 26% of employees who do not supervise anyone. Overall, 37% of employees in Ireland say their use of AI at work is increasing.

Employees in Ireland also report relatively high levels of trust in how their organisations use AI. Six in 10 trust their organisation to use AI in a fair and ethical way, compared with 52% across Europe. However, fewer than one in three (31%) say their organisation helps them to build the skills needed for an AI-driven future.

Eimear Continued: "The new EU legislation means it is no longer enough for these systems to simply deliver results: organisations must be able to explain those results, justify them, and demonstrate that they are fair. This isn’t just a legislative obligation, however. Our research shows that employees seek this clarity, too.

“Despite relative levels of comfort with AI among employees, it is important that they understand their evolving roles as AI becomes more integrated in the workplace. Under the AI Act, European employers are required to take measures to ensure that employees possess sufficient AI literacy. That doesn’t mean they need to be experts, but anyone working with AI must be able to use the technology responsibly and recognise the risks.

“The greatest impact from AI will come when organisations use it to enhance and evolve human capability, not simply to automate existing processes. Irish businesses are well placed to lead in this area, but only if they combine strong talent and adaptability with clear governance, transparency and investment in AI literacy.”

The research forms part of SD Worx’s international HR & Payroll Pulse 2026 survey, carried out by iVOX. A total of 5,936 HR decision-makers and 16,500 employees were surveyed across 16 European countries: Belgium, Germany, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, the United Kingdom and Sweden.

The results provide a representative picture of the labour market in each country. In Ireland, 1,000 employees and 301 employers were surveyed.

SD Worx believes that success starts with people. A thriving workforce doesn’t just build a thriving company, it also contributes to society. Together with its customers, SD Worx sparks successful HR that benefits work, life and society. As the trusted leading European HR and payroll solutions provider for all organisations and workers, SD Worx delivers software, services and expertise across payroll and reward, human capital management and workforce management.In 2022, SD Worx strengthened its presence in Ireland by acquiring Intelligo, a trusted payroll solution in Ireland for nearly 30 years. Now, the company pays one-in-five employees in Ireland.

About 105,000 small and large organisations across Europe place their trust in SD Worx. Some 10,000 colleagues operate in 27 countries. SD Worx calculates the salaries of approximately six million employees and ranks among the top five worldwide. It achieved revenues of €1.307 billion in 2025.