ECB survey: Only 25% of European firms invest in AI as usage nears two‑thirds of businesses

In research based on its 2025 survey on Access to Finance Enterprises, the European Central Bank reported that about two‑thirds of European firms use AI, but only around 25% invest in it. Larger companies show usage rates of about 90%, yet many rely on free or open‑source tools instead of paid enterprise solutions, and AI adoption is more often linked to hiring and productivity gains than job cuts.