AI adoption has more than doubled in the EU’s strategic sector

Artificial intelligence (AI) adoption across the European Union’s strategic sectors has more than doubled in four years, rising from 7% of businesses in 2021 to 18% in 2025

A new analysis by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), published on 14 October 2026, highlights growing AI use across industries, although progress varies significantly between sectors.

The findings show that while AI is becoming more accessible to businesses, many companies still struggle to integrate the technology into core operations.

Media, energy and electronics lead AI adoption

The media, energy, and electronic communications sectors are leading AI adoption. In 2025, 38% of businesses in the media sector used at least one AI technology, followed by energy at 34% and electronic communications at 30%.

The pharmaceutical sector also grew significantly, with AI adoption reaching 23%, while defence reached 20%. These industries increasingly use AI across a range of business functions, including research and development, production, and cybersecurity.

However, adoption remains lower in mobility, tourism, and agri-food, where 12%, 13%, and 13% of businesses, respectively, reported using AI in 2025. In these sectors, AI is mainly used for accessible tasks such as marketing and sales rather than more complex operational processes.

Accessible AI tools drive growth

The rapid rise in adoption has largely been driven by the growing availability of general-purpose AI tools, including systems that can generate or analyse text, images, audio, video and computer code.

As these technologies become cheaper and easier to access, businesses can introduce AI without necessarily investing in expensive, customised systems.

Across the wider EU economy, AI adoption rose from 8% in 2021 to 20% in 2025, slightly exceeding the overall rate across strategic sectors.

Despite this progress, the JRC analysis suggests that simply adopting readily available AI tools does not guarantee significant productivity gains.

Skills and regulation

A major challenge for businesses is the lack of relevant expertise. Many companies struggle to find workers with the specialist skills needed to implement and manage AI effectively.

Regulatory uncertainty, particularly around data protection and privacy, is another major obstacle.

The analysis also highlights the importance of organisational change. Businesses that adapt their workflows and integrate AI directly into production processes are more likely to achieve greater value from the technology.

A new approach to AI integration

The findings underline the need for sector-specific support to encourage wider and more effective AI adoption. While some industries can benefit from ready-to-use tools, others require more specialised solutions to meet their operational needs.

The JRC recommends a stronger focus on digital skills, organisational development, and integrating AI into core business activities.