More than one third (38%) of European businesses adopted artificial intelligence (AI) in 2023, according to a report commissioned by Amazon Web Services.
The change came as the use of generative artificial intelligence surged in 2023.
In 2021, the European Commission presented its ‘2030 Digital Decade’ vision, to transform the region.
Included in the goals were 80% of the population acquiring basic digital skills, 5G connectivity everywhere, and 75% of EU companies using cloud services.
However, in 2022, only a quarter of EU businesses had adopted AI.
Risk Of Falling Behind
A report last year estimated that the European Union was at risk of falling behind its Digital Decade goals by ten years, unless governments focused on bridging the skills gap.
According to the managing director at Amazon Web Services, Tanuja Randery, “Last year was pivotal. From Malmö to Milan, the accessibility of generative AI created an appetite for experimentation among consumers and businesses.”
Randery continued, “The accelerated uptake of AI last year has helped put Europe on track to meet its Digital Decade goals.”
Strand Partners conducted the survey. Over 16,000 citizens and 14,000 businesses were surveyed, and the results found that 38% of companies were experimenting with AI.
The report estimated the positive economic impact of AI at an additional €600 billion, on top of an earlier estimate of €2.8 trillion.
