Microsoft told the Government that without “accelerated action on power, connectivity and skills” Ireland “may miss its chance to lead” the artificial intelligence (AI) “technological revolution”.
The warning came in a 36-page paper sent to senior Government figures including Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for Public Expenditure and Infrastructure Jack Chambers.
Martin later spoke about issues covered by Microsoft in its paper in a speech for an event marking the company’s 40th anniversary in Ireland in November.
Microsoft – and companies it owns with operations in Ireland – employ around 6,400 people here and the tech giant has invested heavily in AI.
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The paper the company sent to Government figures last September is entitled ‘Our Shared Digital Future: Ireland’s Unique Digital & AI Economy Opportunity’.
In the foreword James O’Connor, head of Microsoft’s Irish operations, said the paper “seeks to outline Ireland’s distinct potential to lead in this new technological age” but “without a sense of urgency and priority today, that opportunity for tomorrow will be lost”.
The paper suggests there is a need for “urgent attention and action” on “three distinct but related fronts”.
The first is: “Securing the upgrade of the electricity grid and making progress on and driving the offshore renewable programme.”
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The second is delivering “new digital infrastructure” and elsewhere in the document in a section on “AI infrastructure” it recommends that there is recognition of “the critical role of data centres, submarine cables, and renewable energy supply”.
Thirdly Microsoft urges “driving a co-ordinated government/industry AI skilling programme” so every Irish person can “have access to the right AI skilling opportunity”.
It says the opportunity is “time-sensitive” and “without deliberate and accelerated action on power, connectivity and skills, Ireland may miss its chance to lead in this technological revolution”.
Microsoft also urged the Government to use Ireland’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union later this year “to progress efforts to enhance European competitiveness as per the Draghi Report, notably in the digital realm”.
It said that former European Central Bank president Mario Draghi’s 2024 report “outlines that digitalisation will increasingly be a dependence factor for the development of the EU’s competitiveness, as well as a driver of investment, job and wealth creation”.
A Microsoft Ireland filing with the Register of Lobbying shows it sought to contact several Cabinet ministers and Government officials within the last four months of 2025 to “highlight Ireland’s digital and artificial intelligence opportunity” and circulate its paper.
Microsoft also met Chambers on September 26th.
A note of the meeting under the Freedom of Information Act says he was presented with the Our Shared Digital Future document and there were discussions on data centres, infrastructure and AI.
Separate records show that Microsoft Ireland wrote to the Taoiseach’s office inviting him to speak at an event in November as the company celebrated 40 years in Ireland. The Our Shared Digital Future paper was attached with the email.
The Taoiseach spoke at the event. The script of his speech, published by the Government, covers issues raised in the Microsoft paper including a Government focus on addressing infrastructure deficits and how “billions of euro” are being invested in the energy grid.
The speech says that Ireland’s “regulatory ambitions” are “centred around ensuring a balanced approach to digital regulation that supports competitiveness and innovation” and “it is critical that we get the balance right in Europe”. It says the upcoming EU presidency “is a key moment for Ireland to demonstrate leadership” and “during our presidency, we will host an AI and digital summit in October 2026“.
A Government statement said: “Microsoft’s report, ‘Our Shared Digital Future’ was a useful input, as part of a broader stakeholder engagement process, which informed the development of the revised National Digital and AI Strategy.” This strategy will be published by Government in the coming weeks.
Microsoft Ireland declined to comment.
