EU AI Adoption Survey: Technical Expertise and Legal Clarity Hinder Business Uptake – News and Statistics
Publish Date: 2026-05-25 04:50:00
Source Domain: www.indexbox.io
May 25, 2026
The European Union is currently exploring strategies to encourage the adoption of artificial intelligence among its businesses, with the goal of enhancing competitiveness and productivity. At the same time, policymakers are working to simplify the existing AI and data protection regulations to reduce administrative burdens and eliminate overlapping rules.
According to a recent survey from Eurostat, cited by Euronews, the data provides valuable insight for ongoing political discussions, particularly concerning the AI Omnibus, Digital Omnibus, and negotiations for the EU’s budget covering 2028 to 2032.
The survey’s most significant findings among both medium and large companies point to a shortage of technical expertise. This barrier was cited by 10.51% of businesses with 50 to 249 employees and by 10.32% of larger firms employing more than 250 people.
European companies also expressed concerns about data privacy and legal ambiguity. Among medium-sized firms, 7.95% cited worries about data protection and privacy violations, while 7.51% mentioned a lack of clarity regarding legal consequences. For larger companies, the figures were 9.31% and 8.12%, respectively.
Overall, the results indicate that most European businesses recognize the potential utility of AI tools—only 2.09% of medium-sized and 1.55% of larger companies considered them not useful—but they struggle to articulate how the EU can assist them.
The most commonly cited barrier across all companies was the lack of technical expertise, reported by 10.51% of respondents. This sentiment was particularly high in Denmark (15.44%), Germany (14.63%), and Finland (13.99%). Notably, Denmark and Finland typically lead AI adoption rankings, making this admission self-reflective.
Cost-related reasons were given by 5.67% of businesses with 50 to 249 employees, with Portuguese firms leading at 9.56%.
Technical issues, such as incompatibility with existing equipment,…
