Close to two thirds of small and medium-sized enterprises and mid-cap companies in the European Union already use artificial intelligence (AI), algorithmic management (AM) or automated systems to support management decisions, or plan to adopt said technologies in the coming years, a new Eurobarometer report has found.
As the data showed, 63% of companies either ‘already use’ AI and AM (42%) or ‘plan to do so in the coming years’ (21%).
In terms of the areas in which AI and AM are being utilised most, 47% of surveyed companies cited customer service and client relations, followed by monitoring worker performance and productivity (36%) and logistics, planning and staff scheduling (30%).
The role of AI in decision-making
AI is also increasingly involved in workplace decision-making. Among companies using AI, three fifths (61%) say they rely on it to make business-related decisions. However, the majority of these businesses – some 52% – said that AI provides recommendations while humans retain responsibility for the final decision.
Notably, three-quarters (75%) of companies believe AI and algorithmic management will improve job quality, with 16% describing the expected impact as ‘very positive’ and a further 59% as ‘rather positive’.
Barriers to adoption
At the same time, the report also notes several barriers to AI adoption across Europe. High investment costs were identified by 50% of respondents as a barrier, followed closely by legal uncertainty at 49%. A lack of expertise was cited by 48%.
‘European businesses rely increasingly on artificial intelligence (AI), and algorithmic management (AM) or automated systems refer to digital systems that help managers organise the workforce and/or support their decisions about tasks, schedules, performance or staffing,’ Eurobarometer noted. ‘These systems can be powered by AI or not, and include both tools that automate decision-making and tools that make recommendations, while the final decision is taken by people.’
The Eurobarometer survey was conducted between March and April 2026 and was published in October 2026. Read more here.
