Susan Kelly
Operations Director, Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet
Momentum is growing among Irish SMEs embracing AI. With the right networks, small wins can turn into national transformation.
The AI conversation has shifted. At this year’s National AI Meet, what stood out wasn’t the hype; it was the hunger. Irish SMEs, once cautious, are now curious with intent. They’re no longer asking ‘Should we use AI?’ but ‘How do we start, and where can we learn from others?’
That sentiment is echoed in our recent AI Readiness Pulse findings. While just 7% of businesses claim full confidence in AI, a growing number are experimenting: trialling tools, creating internal champions, forming peer learning circles. The appetite is there.
Building together, scaling faster
Momentum alone won’t deliver results, but collective progress can. AI isn’t just a technical shift. It’s an organisational one. Success relies on sharing failures, learning from peers and collaborating across sectors.
That’s where Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet comes in. We work across industry and academia to build hands-on, business-first learning pathways — designed with companies, not just for them. Whether it’s upskilling a team lead or launching a use-case pilot, we help SMEs reduce risk, avoid wheel reinvention and accelerate real-world results.
Our goal is to create the infrastructure that turns AI interest into lasting capability, through training, support networks and shared experience.
The power of small wins
What we see, again and again, is how one small win can shift a whole organisation’s mindset. A retail SME using AI to forecast demand. A services firm improving client onboarding with automation. These aren’t moonshots; they’re smart, tangible steps — and they spread.
Ireland’s AI future must be collaborative, not competitive. Companies avoid common pitfalls. They see what’s working in businesses like theirs. That’s the compound value of collaboration, and it’s the force that will close Ireland’s AI readiness gap faster than any one company could alone.
AI doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It just has to be shared. The wave is building. Let’s make sure every business gets to ride it.
