EU survey finds 42% of smaller companies use AI or automated management

Oct 15, 2026
A Eurobarometer survey found that 42% of surveyed European SMEs and mid cap companies use AI or automated management systems, while another 21% plan to adopt them.

The European Commission said in a press release that 42% of surveyed European small and medium sized enterprises and mid cap companies use AI or automated management systems. Another 21% plan to use these tools, although most current use remains limited or experimental.

Customer service and client relations were the most common applications, cited by 47% of respondents. Another 36% use the systems to monitor performance and productivity, while 30% use them for logistics, planning and staff scheduling. Among surveyed companies, 61% said the tools support decision making, 90% said people retain decision authority and 2% reported fully automated decisions.

High investment costs were cited as a barrier by 50% of respondents, followed by legal uncertainty at 49% and limited expertise at 48%. Almost half said they do not trust AI or automated systems to make workforce or staffing decisions. The Commission said its upcoming Quality Jobs Act will clarify rules for algorithmic management and worker protections.

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