More than a third of European businesses adopted artificial intelligence in 2023 as use of generative AI surged, a report commissioned by Amazon Web Services (AWS) found.
The European Commission, the EU executive, in 2021 presented its 2030 Digital Decade vision to transform the region, with 80% of the population acquiring basic digital skills, 5G connectivity everywhere and 75% of EU companies using cloud services.
In 2022, however, only a quarter of EU businesses had adopted AI and a report last year estimated the European Union was at risk of falling behind its Digital Decade goals by ten years unless the governments focused on bridging the skills gap.
'Appetite For Experimentation'
"Last year was pivotal; from Malmo to Milan, the accessibility of generative AI created an appetite for experimentation among consumers and businesses," Tanuja Randery, managing director at AWS, told Reuters.
"The accelerated uptake of AI last year has helped put Europe on track to meet its Digital Decade goals," she said.
The survey conducted by Strand Partners of over 16,000 citizens and 14,000 businesses found 38% of companies were experimenting with AI.
The report estimated the positive economic impact of AI at an additional €600 billion, on top of an earlier estimate of €2.8 trillion.
Elsewhere, a study by data and analytics firm, GlobalData showed that retail, technology, financial services and pharmaceuticals are among the top recruiters of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) talent.
A separate study showed that generative artificial intelligence (genAI) is at the forefront of innovation in retail, as its ability to fabricate hyper-customised content is turning the tables in marketing and communication strategies
