Both Belgian SMEs and larger enterprises are using AI more than the European average. Yet our country is also following a trend: for SMEs, the step to integrate AI remains larger.
12.5 percent of Belgian companies were already using at least one technology built on AI by 2023. This is according to research by the FPS Economy. Compared to 2021, usage increased by 3.2 percentage points.
It is notable that especially large companies are leading the way. Almost half (47.9 percent) of companies with 250 or more employees are already using AI in some way. That’s well above the European average of 30.4 percent.
AI and the SME
SMEs are not finding their way to AI as quickly. Only 12.5 percent said they were already using the technology by 2023. Even that, however, is a nice share when compared to the rest of Europe. At the EU level, only 7.4 percent of SMEs with fewer than 250 employees say they have already integrated AI. It is therefore notable that Belgium is a frontrunner compared to other EU countries.
SMEs have several reasons for not yet using AI. Primarily, they point to a lack of expertise within the company (4.4 percent), although concerns about data protection and privacy (2.6 percent) and incompatibility with existing equipment (2.5 percent) also come into play. Legacy infrastructure thus puts the brakes on innovation.
It is striking that the usefulness of AI is questioned very little by those surveyed. Barely 1.1 percent say they do not see the technology’s usefulness to their business.
Good thing
That the Belgian business world is embracing AI better than other countries is a good thing. After all, AI can provide a competitive advantage by increasing employee productivity. In a country with a high labor cost, it is an added bonus to be able to use available personnel efficiently. Earlier Google research showed that 76 percent of Belgian workers think AI can improve their productivity.