He added that the productivity gains from using in AI in software development has been “well proven” and is generating value for the business.
Those productivity gains have led to concerns that AI is costing jobs across a variety of professions such as software development and business consulting.
Mooney rejected as “one-dimensional” the view that AI tools could replace the need for junior staff.
He said that while, historically, graduates were asked to do simple tasks, they can – and should – be asked to do more complex work.
“Yes, they need time to build their skills and knowledge, and judgement is ever-increasingly an important part of what we do today.
“But I just think it shows limited imagination if you’re saying that all graduates are good for is doing something very simple.”
He expects more than 200 people to join the business this year through graduate and school-leaver programmes which he called “our strongest ever graduate intake”.
The company currently employs almost 4,000 people across its global operations with almost 1,400 of them in Northern Ireland.
It is currently developing a new HQ building in the centre of Belfast.
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