This report presents detailed findings on AI adoption across the strategic sectors covered in the European Commission Apply AI Strategy, together with a methodology developed to map AI adoption in these sectors using Eurostat’s annual survey on ICT usage in enterprises. The results show that certain strategic sectors, such as media, energy, and electronic communications, exhibit a widespread AI adoption both in terms of technologies used and the purposes for which they are used. This contrasts with strategic sectors where AI adoption is less widespread, such as tourism and agri-food, and recent developments have been concentrated on using AI technologies to analyse and generate content for the purpose of marketing or sales. As such, the surge in AI adoption over the past few years has, to some extent, not resulted in the integration of AI into core business processes, where it can have the greatest impact. The analysis also shows that the fit between the technology and the industry influences adoption rates; in other words, adoption rates reflect the fact that some AI technologies are better suited to specific sectors.

Science for policy brief on AI adoption in the Apply AI strategic sectors, based on the report JRC146753.