Starting with AI in a small business in Ireland: where to get help
Four practical first steps, then the Irish supports worth knowing: LEO Digital for Business and the Grow Digital Voucher, CeADAR's EDIH for AI, Skillnet's AI training grant, and the DPC and EU AI Act basics.
Starting with AI in a small business in Ireland: where to get help
By Jason Sibley
What this is for, and who it's for
This guide is for owners of micro and small businesses in the Republic of Ireland who are curious about AI but not sure where to begin. It points to a few public supports and the main rules worth knowing about.
We're not connected to any of the organisations mentioned here, and we don't speak for them. Schemes change, so check the details with each organisation directly before you plan around them. What follows is based on what each one says on its own website.
Start here: four practical first steps
Before you apply for anything, a little groundwork makes every later conversation easier.
- Pick one job. Not "use AI in the business", which is too big. Choose something small and repetitive, like drafting replies to the questions customers ask most, or tidying up meeting notes.
- Try a free or low-cost tool on that job. Our guide to the best AI tools for small business is a fair place to