BRUSSELS, December 14, 2025: One in five enterprises across the European Union are now using artificial intelligence technologies in their operations, according to new figures released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU. The data shows that in 2025, 20 percent of enterprises with ten or more employees adopted AI tools, marking a 6.5 percentage point rise from 13.5 percent in 2024. The adoption of AI technologies among EU enterprises has accelerated sharply over the past few years, highlighting the growing importance of digital transformation across industries. In 2021, only 7.7 percent of EU businesses reported using AI, with a slight increase to 8.1 percent in 2023. The jump to 20 percent in 2025 represents the strongest annual growth recorded so far, reflecting widespread deployment of AI-driven systems for analysis, automation, and production processes.
Denmark led the EU in AI adoption, with 42 percent of its enterprises integrating artificial intelligence into their operations this year. Finland followed closely with 37.8 percent, and Sweden ranked third with 35 percent. These northern European countries continue to show higher levels of digital readiness and technology integration. At the lower end, Romania reported just 5.2 percent of enterprises using AI, while Poland and Bulgaria registered 8.4 percent and 8.5 percent respectively. Almost all EU member states recorded increases in AI adoption compared with 2024, underscoring a region-wide expansion of digital tools across business sectors. Denmark posted the largest rise at 14.5 percentage points, followed by Finland with a 13.5-point increase and Lithuania with a 12.5-point gain. The figures suggest a broad-based shift toward AI-driven processes across manufacturing, services, logistics, and communications sectors.
AI tools gain traction across multiple industries
According to Eurostat, the most common application of AI technologies among EU enterprises in 2025 was the analysis of written language, used by 11.8 percent of companies. This was followed by AI tools that generate images, videos, or audio content, adopted by 9.5 percent of enterprises. Another 8.8 percent used AI to generate written or spoken language, while 7.2 percent employed systems to convert spoken words into machine-readable text. These uses indicate that language-processing and content-generation tools remain the leading forms of AI integration across EU businesses. The analysis of written language showed the strongest growth in usage between 2024 and 2025, increasing by 4.9 percentage points. The generation of written or spoken language followed with a 3.4-point rise.
These gains point to a notable increase in the application of natural language processing and generative AI tools within corporate environments, supporting activities such as data analysis, translation, customer communication, and documentation. Eurostat’s data reflects how artificial intelligence has moved beyond early adoption and into practical use among a wide range of enterprises across the EU. While digital maturity levels vary between member states, the overall trajectory indicates that AI is becoming an essential component of modern business operations. The latest figures also underline the continued expansion of Europe’s digital economy, as enterprises increasingly rely on AI to manage information, optimize workflows, and enhance productivity.
Eurostat survey reflects broad regional participation
The survey covers enterprises employing ten or more people in both the services and industrial sectors. Eurostat’s findings are based on data collected from member states throughout 2025, providing a comprehensive view of how artificial intelligence technologies are being used across the European Union’s business landscape. The data offers insight into how AI adoption patterns vary by enterprise size, sector, and region, capturing the pace of digital integration across Europe’s economies. It also highlights the increasing role of automation, data analytics, and generative AI tools in driving efficiency and competitiveness within EU industries. – By EuroWire News Desk.