Irish Taoiseach insists AI will not displace public sector workers as nationwide strike hits Dublin summit

Hundreds of thousands of Irish public sector workers walked off the job on Wednesday in a pay dispute, on the same day the Irish government held an international AI summit at Dublin's RDS. Taoiseach Micheál Martin acknowledged AI's "transformative impact" but said the state is "not envisaging" displacement in the public service, pointing instead to shifting roles and redeployment. He unveiled a new Labour Employer Economic Forum uniting government, employers and trade unions to tackle AI's effects on employment. The IMF has cautioned that between 40% and 60% of jobs in advanced economies will be "exposed" to AI.

Martin acknowledged that some "work functions may not survive AI" but argued new roles would emerge to fill the gap.

European Commission vice-president Henna Virkkunen said Europe would need to expand its data centre capacity threefold over the next five to seven years to keep pace with surging AI demand.

The summit is a centrepiece of Ireland's presidency of the Council of the European Union, with the government presenting AI as an opportunity rather than a threat.