AI Adoption in Irish Start-Ups: Insights from Scale Ireland’s 2025 Survey

The 2025 State of Start-Ups Survey by Scale Ireland paints a clear picture: AI is no longer an emerging trend, it’s an operational reality for the vast majority of Irish start-ups. With 87.7% of founders and CEOs actively adopting AI, businesses across the country are turning to technology not just to keep pace, but to create new pathways to growth.

Productivity, Growth, and the Potential for SMEs

The top benefit cited by respondents was improved productivity (55.3%), followed by market expansion and sales uplift. AI is helping teams streamline workflows, access deeper insights, and focus on what matters most — growth.

At Buymedia, we’ve seen firsthand how these benefits can play out in the media and advertising space. By making intelligent media planning tools accessible to small and mid-sized businesses, AI has the potential to reduce guesswork, bring clarity to investment decisions, and help SMEs compete on a more level playing field with larger organisations.

AI Confidence Meets Regulatory Complexity

Despite this momentum, the path forward isn’t without its challenges. While awareness of the EU AI Act is growing (at 59.1%), a significant proportion of founders — 43.8% are unsure how it might affect them. For smaller companies, understanding and preparing for new regulatory frameworks can be daunting.

This is an area where clarity, education, and shared responsibility are crucial. As a company that has built its platform on responsible, data-led decision-making, Buymedia recognises the importance of supporting customers in navigating this evolving landscape, not just with tools, but with guidance.

Building Skills and Capability for the Long Term

Another encouraging sign from the survey is the emphasis on talent development. Many start-ups are investing in student and graduate programs, and there is increasing awareness of the need for internal education around AI’s ethical and strategic implications.

Buymedia believes this mindset is essential, AI isn’t just about automation; it’s about empowerment. That means equipping people with the tools and training they need to make confident, informed decisions — and ensuring those tools reflect the real challenges businesses face every day.

Looking Ahead: From Access to Autonomy

The AI opportunity in Ireland is substantial, but real impact depends not just on widespread adoption, but on meaningful use. For many start-ups, especially SMEs, the challenge lies in moving from access to true autonomy: using AI in ways that are informed, intentional, and aligned with their goals.

As adoption grows, so too does the need for tools and support that simplify complexity, reduce uncertainty, and enable better decision-making. The focus now should be on creating environments where smaller businesses can experiment safely, learn quickly, and apply AI in ways that deliver real value — not just operationally, but strategically.

Widespread adoption is a strong signal of momentum. The next step is ensuring that this momentum leads to more confident, capable, and equitable use of technology across the full spectrum of Ireland’s start-up community.

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