Irish consumers are among the least trusting of AI in Europe, especially in banking and utilities. Only 17% trust AI to handle financial transactions, and nearly 1 in 4 refuse to use AI in any capacity. Yet Irish businesses are doubling their AI adoption — and a massive skills and trust gap is opening up. This blog explores why consumer AI distrust is growing, what the latest data tells us, and how structured AI training programs — particularly the AI CERTs Authorized Training Partner (ATP) Program — offer a clear path forward for training providers, institutions, and businesses across Ireland and beyond.

The AI Trust Problem Facing Irish Consumers 

A quiet storm is brewing in Irish boardrooms and bank branches alike. Artificial intelligence is becoming a core part of how businesses operate — but the people those businesses serve are not convinced it is safe. 

According to PwC’s Voice of the Consumer Survey, only 17% of Irish consumers trust AI to handle high-risk financial tasks such as investment advice or processing a transaction. That compares to 27% globally. Even more striking: 23% of Irish consumers do not trust AI for anything at all double the global average of 11%. 

These numbers matter. When consumers distrust the technology that banks and utilities are racing to adopt, the result is friction, drop-off, and damage to brand reputation. It reflects a deeper concern about how AI is developed, governed, and explained. 

Irish consumers are especially worried about three things: 

1. The risk of being hacked or scammed through AI (89% are concerned, vs. 83% globally) 

2. A lack of AI regulation and governance (90% concerned, vs. 85% globally) 

3. Privacy — with 83% saying personal data protection is a top factor in earning their trust 

This is not irrational fear. It is a rational response to a gap: the gap between how fast AI is being deployed and how well people understand it, govern it, and trust the people behind it.

AI Is Booming in Irish Banking — So Why the Fear? 

The irony is that Ireland is one of Europe’s fastest-growing AI adopters. According to the Irish Central Statistics Office, the share of Irish businesses using AI nearly doubled — from 8% in 2023 to 15% in 2024. Major banks are leading the charge. 

Allied Irish Banks (AIB) rolled out AI tools to the majority of its 10,000-strong workforce, partnering with Microsoft to embed AI across platforms including Outlook, Teams, Excel, and GitHub. Beat The Bank launched an AI assistant named Zoe to handle insurance queries and generate personalised quotes in seconds. These are real examples of AI doing what it is supposed to: making services clearer and faster for everyday people. 

Yet the consumer trust gap has not closed. A 2025 PwC AI Agent Survey for Ireland reveals: 

4. Only 7% of Irish organisations say they highly trust AI agents — versus 28% of US counterparts 

5. None of the Irish respondents said they highly trust AI to conduct financial transactions (vs. 20% in the US) 

6. Just 4% trust AI to act autonomously in customer interactions (vs. 25% in the US) 

The problem is not that AI is failing. The problem is that people — consumers and employees alike — have not been given the knowledge or context to trust it. And that is, at its core, a training problem. 

The Hidden Cost of AI Distrust for Businesses 

Consumer distrust of AI is not just a public relations issue. It has a real financial cost. When customers reject AI-powered services, banks and utilities spend more on human agents. When employees do not understand AI tools, productivity gains stall. When regulators see low public trust, compliance demands increase. 

Ireland’s Central Bank was designated the national market surveillance authority for the EU AI Act in 2025. This means Irish businesses deploying AI in regulated sectors — banking, insurance, utilities — must now demonstrate transparency and accountability at every stage of their AI systems’ lifecycle. 

The EU AI Act requires regulated entities to be clear about how AI is used in decision-making and who is responsible when things go wrong. Non-compliance is not a theoretical risk. It is a growing business risk. 

At the same time, research by Microsoft and Trinity College Dublin projects AI could add up to €250 billion to Ireland’s economy by 2035. But only if organisations deploy it responsibly — and only if the workforce can use it confidently. 

The workforce gap is stark. While 75% of companies globally are now embracing AI, only 35% of employees received any structured AI training last year. In Ireland, that gap is arguably wider, given the lower baseline trust levels. 

What Bridges the Trust Gap? Structured AI Training Programs 

Consumer trust in AI does not come from press releases or chatbot demos. It comes from competent, trained people making responsible decisions about how AI is built and used. 

This is why structured AI training programs are the most important investment a business, training provider, or institution can make right now. Not generic e-learning. Not one-off workshops. Structured, role-based, certification-backed programs that give people practical skills they can apply the next day. 

The data supports this. A 2025 Experian study found that 96% of consumers who already use AI for personal financial management report positive experiences. The gap is not in the technology — it is in whether people have been trained to use it well and trust it enough to try. 

Global JD Power research shows nearly 60% of consumers already use AI for banking tasks at least occasionally. Among those who use it, trust is substantially higher. Exposure, education, and competence close the gap — but someone has to provide the education. 

For training providers and educational institutions, this is both a responsibility and a major commercial opportunity. Demand for credible, structured AI training programs has never been higher — and the supply of qualified, certified delivery partners is still far short of what the market needs. 

Become an Authorized Training Partner with AI CERTs 

This is where the AI CERTs Authorized Training Partner (ATP) Program comes in. AI CERTs is a globally recognised certification body that builds and governs role-based credentials in artificial intelligence. Its programs are aligned to ISO/IEC 17024:2012 standards and are designed for real-world application across sectors including banking, finance, healthcare, and utilities. 

AI CERTs has already trained over 115,000 learners, works with more than 500 certified instructors, and partners with over 150 organisations worldwide. The ATP Program is the main route for training companies, consultancies, EdTech platforms, and educational institutions to join this network and deliver AI training at scale. 

What does becoming an authorized training partner actually mean? It means you do not build everything from scratch. Partners gain: 

7. A ready-to-launch curriculum covering AI for developers, executives, healthcare professionals, and more 

8. Co-branded certificates and multilingual materials that build client trust from day one 

9. Sales toolkits, marketing support, and launch campaigns to accelerate your go-to-market strategy 

10. Flexible delivery: instructor-led or eLearning format, tailored to your client base 

11. Continuous content updates — so your programs stay current without internal rebuilding costs 

12. Access to a global network of AI CERTs certified instructors and fellow partners 

Training companies that have adopted the ATP model report launching new AI programs within weeks — not months — and shifting their positioning from selling individual training sessions to delivering enterprise AI upskilling aligned to real business outcomes. 

6. Partner Pathways: Four Ways to Join the AI CERTs Network

AI CERTs offers four distinct partnership models, each designed for a different type of organisation. Here is what each pathway offers: 

Authorized Training Partner (ATP) 

Designed for corporate training providers, consultancies, and learning organisations that want to deliver certified AI training programs to enterprise and institutional clients. This flagship model offers the most commercial flexibility and the broadest suite of delivery tools. It is built for scale — and for turning AI education into a predictable revenue line. 

For training companies and L&D providers: Become an Authorized Training Partner → 

Authorized Academic Partner (AAP) 

Built for universities, colleges, and schools that want to integrate industry-recognised AI certifications into their existing curriculum. Academic partners receive dedicated academic pricing, classroom resources, and enrolment support. This model helps institutions close the gap between academic learning and industry-ready skills — something Irish higher education urgently needs as the EU AI Act raises the bar for professional competence. 

For schools and universities: Explore the Academic Partner Program → 

Association Partner 

Ideal for professional associations, industry bodies, and networks that want to offer AI certification pathways to their members. With AI regulation now a priority across Irish financial services and utilities, industry associations have a powerful role in helping members stay compliant, competitive, and credible. 

For professional associations and industry bodies: Become an Association Partner → 

Affiliate Partner 

The simplest entry point for organisations or individuals that want to promote AI CERTs programs and earn referral income without full delivery responsibilities. This is a low-risk way to test the market and build a pipeline before moving to a deeper partnership model. 

For individuals and referral partners: Join as an Affiliate Partner → 

7. The Case for Acting Now 

The window to become an early-mover AI training partner is open — but it will not stay open forever. Here is why the timing matters for Ireland specifically: 

Regulatory pressure is increasing. The EU AI Act is now in force and Ireland’s Central Bank is enforcing it. Businesses in banking and utilities that cannot demonstrate AI governance will face scrutiny — and their workforces will need certified training to prove competence. 

Consumer expectations are shifting. Irish consumers are skeptical but not permanently opposed to AI. They want transparency, accountability, and proof that the people behind these systems know what they are doing. Certified AI training programs are the most credible signal a company can send. 

Workforce demand is outpacing supply. With 50% of workers globally needing AI reskilling, and only 35% having received any structured training, the gap is enormous. Training providers who deliver credible, scalable programs will have more demand than they can handle. 

Global markets are accelerating. 72% of Asia-Pacific organisations plan to increase AI investment, and AI is projected to add USD 1 trillion to the region by 2030. European training partners who join established global networks now can access these markets faster than those who build independently. 

For Irish training providers, the ATP model is particularly valuable because it removes the biggest barrier to scaling: content. Building and maintaining credible AI curricula is expensive, time-consuming, and requires constant updating. The ATP framework provides this infrastructure — so partners can focus on client relationships, delivery quality, and market growth. 

Conclusion

Irish consumers’ distrust of AI in banking and utilities is not permanent. It is a product of a very real skills and transparency gap — one that structured AI training programs can close, step by step. 

The businesses and training providers that move now to build certified AI competence — in their workforce, among their clients, and across their partner networks — will be the ones that earn consumer trust as AI becomes unavoidable in daily life. 

The AI CERTs Authorized Training Partner (ATP) Program gives training providers, academic institutions, associations, and individual affiliates a proven, scalable, and commercially sound way to become a partner and deliver this transformation. 

Whether you are a corporate L&D team looking to add AI programs to your portfolio, a university wanting to future-proof your graduates, a professional body serving members in regulated sectors, or an individual ready to tap into the fastest-growing area of professional education — there is a pathway built for you. 

Explore your partnership options today: 

• Authorized Training Partner (ATP) Program 

• Authorized Academic Partner Program 

• Association Partner Program 

• Affiliate Partner Program 

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