Navigating expansion: how Irish businesses are harnessing technology while managing risk

Pictured (L-R): Liam Cotter and Rory Timlin, Partners at KPMG.

By Liam Cotter and Rory Timlin

As organisations worldwide grapple with the complexities of scaling in an era defined by rapid technological disruption, Irish businesses stand out for their confidence, pragmatism, and resilience. The latest insights from the KPMG Global Tech Report reveal a business community that sees technology not only as a catalyst for expansion but also as a stabilising force amid uncertainty. Yet, alongside this optimism lies a recognition of the obstacles that must be navigated - particularly around cybersecurity, governance, and the challenge of turning innovation into measurable value.

In a global context where investment returns can be uneven, Ireland's technology leaders demonstrate strong faith in technology-led growth. 89% agree that technology is improving the value generated from investment - significantly ahead of the 79% global average. This confidence is reinforced by strong business fundamentals: 94% of Irish organisations report revenue growth over the past five years, again outpacing the global figure of 88%. This global outperformance is mirrored in Ireland's international investment footprint. For example, Enterprise Ireland recently noted a record $389 billion in Irish investment flowing into the United States. This scale of investment reflects Ireland's evolving role in global value chains, though it also serves as a reminder that past successes - however impressive- do not guarantee future outcomes in a shifting geopolitical and economic landscape.

The confidence behind technology-led expansion

Despite optimism, Irish organisations remain acutely aware of the pace of change. Two-thirds (66%) of Irish leaders say their technology plans quickly become outdated due to rapid technological advances, underlining the pressure on leadership teams to continually reassess strategy.

"Irish technology organisations are confident, but they are not complacent," said Liam Cotter, Technology Practice Lead, KPMG in Ireland. "We're seeing a strong focus on value, resilience and security, alongside a clear understanding that technology strategies must constantly evolve."

This willingness to adapt is crucial for navigating growth in unpredictable markets. With geopolitical shifts, supply chain uncertainties, and the emergence of new competitive threats, leaders cannot rely on linear planning cycles. Today, technology strategy must be dynamic, iterative, and increasingly integrated with enterprise risk frameworks.

AI investment, with governance front of mind

Artificial intelligence has become a central pillar of growth strategies worldwide, and Irish organisations are no exception: 70% plan to invest in AI in the next 12 months, closely aligned with global trends.

What differentiates Ireland is not the level of investment but the maturity of approach. A striking 86% of Irish organisations report having a clearly defined, enterprise-wide AI strategy, compared with 76% globally.

Yet despite this strategic clarity, organisations face a familiar barrier: communicating the business value of AI. 67% of Irish leaders report struggling to demonstrate AI's value to stakeholders, highlighting the ongoing challenge of translating secure and responsible AI adoption into measurable business outcomes.

As Rory Timlin, Data and AI Practice Lead at KPMG in Ireland, explains, "Organisations are clear on the strategic importance of AI and are putting enterprise-wide frameworks in place, but the next challenge is execution - embedding strong governance while clearly demonstrating business value. Turning responsible AI adoption into measurable outcomes will be critical for maintaining momentum and securing long-term stakeholder confidence."

Cybersecurity: the unavoidable growth constraint

No discussion of growth in the digital era is complete without addressing cybersecurity. For Irish businesses, it represents potentially one of the most significant barriers to expansion and a domain where we diverge significantly from global peers.

Cyberattacks are identified as the top AI-related risk by 44% of Irish leaders, compared with 37% globally. This concern is expected to rise to 47% within two years, reflecting the evolving threat landscape.

Irish organisations are also particularly worried about AI errors, data reliability, and emerging threats such as deepfakes and synthetic content.

Critically, this concern is driving meaningful action. 97% of Irish businesses report close collaboration between IT, security, and risk teams to ensure safe AI deployment, compared with 89% globally. This is a significant strength, offering a foundation for secure scaling as businesses adopt more advanced technologies.

In addition, more Irish organisations plan to apply increased scrutiny in the coming months to the geographic location of cybersecurity partners in response to geopolitical risk.

A pragmatic approach to innovation

At a time when many organisations feel compelled to demonstrate their innovation credentials, Irish leaders are taking a refreshingly pragmatic approach. Six in ten prefer to adopt new technologies only after early adopters have tested them, compared with 52% globally.

This doesn't reflect risk aversion so much as disciplined prioritisation. By focusing on proven technologies and clearer ROI, Irish businesses are preserving capital, reducing failure rates, and ensuring technology enables - rather than distracts from - strategic expansion.

Irish leaders are also placing greater emphasis on data security, analytics and decision-making agility, with more organisations planning to improve data flows and infrastructure to support scenario planning and resilience in an uncertain macroeconomic environment.

The road ahead

As global competition intensifies, Irish organisations are demonstrating that growth and resilience go hand-in-hand. In an environment of accelerating change, those who move with clarity - grounded in strong fundamentals and guided by strategic foresight - will be best positioned to expand confidently and overcome the obstacles ahead.