Parents largely still support STEM despite AI concerns, report shows

A new report released on 29 October by STEM South West finds that eight out of ten Irish parents continue to encourage their school‑aged children to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), despite growing concerns about artificial intelligence.

The study surveyed 1,000 adults nationwide and revealed that almost one‑quarter of respondents are now more likely to promote STEM to their children than they were before the rise of AI. Only 8 % said they were less likely to do so, and 12 % would not encourage a STEM path at all.

Influence of AI use and professional background

Frequent users of AI were more supportive, with 36 % saying they would encourage a child towards STEM more than before, compared with 25 % of non‑users who would not. Among ICT professionals, 41 % indicated a heightened willingness to promote STEM, and 94 % said they would encourage a child at least as much as before recent AI advances.

Aine McCarthy, chair of STEM South West, said the findings show “confidence in STEM remains strong” and highlighted the importance of giving young people opportunities to both use and understand AI.

Source: Silicon Republic. Photo: Ludovic Delot / Pexels.