European companies lag behind

In Europe, more than half of the companies surveyed are in the early stages of AI development and are classified as either beginners or implementers. Leading the way are twelve percent of respondents, with the UK (18 percent) and Germany (16 percent) leading the way.

The rapid growth of AI is reflected in 33 percent of companies being among the frontrunners, just behind the top performers. More than two-thirds of European companies believe AI is critical to the future of their business.

Companies in all the European countries surveyed see AI as important, especially in the UK and Scandinavian countries, but Germany is not far behind. When it comes to implementing almost all areas of AI, companies in Europe lag behind those in the Americas and Asia-Pacific.

They lag behind especially on the HR side: developing and recruiting AI talent, leveraging the ecosystem, and coordinating AI experts and business teams are all causing problems. The one area where European companies are ahead is in defining business cases and implementation plans, reflecting their thoughtful approach to AI.