Fact Sheet #16 – AI@Work Survey Results (1)

Fact Sheet #16 – AI & Competitiveness, Part 1

How does AI contribute to business performance and employee well-being? Drawing on responses from 2,632 EU company representatives, this Fact Sheet examines the practical company and employee benefits of AI applications, including improvements in productivity, customer communication, and working conditions. 

The survey reveals differences in AI implementation across company sizes and sectors. Smaller businesses tend to introduce AI applications more quickly, while ready-made solutions remain the most common choice. Beyond business efficiency, companies report benefits for employees, including lower work pressure, increased motivation, and more opportunities to focus on higher-value tasks. 

In Brief #12 – AI use by companies 

In Brief #12 – AI&Competitiveness

AI adoption varies across European companies by size and sector. This In Brief presents findings from the AI@Work survey of 2,632 respondents, exploring AI deployment, investment, and technologies used. Larger companies are more likely to have adopted AI earlier, to have multiple use cases deployed, and to invest a greater share of their investment budget in AI. 

The findings also reveal sectoral differences in areas of AI deployment, despite lesser variation in the types of AI tools and technologies used. Industry focuses on production-related AI, while Trade leads in customer service and marketing. Services show high AI use in administration, while Construction stands out in development-related applications. Among the more specific AI tools and technologies used, autonomous and physical AI systems are most common in Industry and Construction. 

In Brief #8 – AI’s impact on productivity and competitiveness (synthesis)

In Brief #8 – AI & Competitiveness

The synthesis highlights three areas of AI impact, based on six company cases from the AI@Work business case series.

Key areas of impact:
• Think big, start small
• Human and AI complementarity
• Organisational readiness

In Brief #5 – AI@Work business case series (competitiveness)

In Brief #5 – AI & Competitiveness

This edition presents six company cases showing how AI supports business performance across the EU.

The company cases show:

• how companies use AI in daily operations to increase productivity
• how AI supports competitiveness across sectors
• practical examples from finance, manufacturing, retail, and healthcare

In Brief #4 – AI competitiveness: structural challenges of the EU

In Brief #4 – AI&Competetiveness

The in brief shows:

• gaps in AI research, model development, and innovation diffusion
• lower levels of private investment in AI compared to global competitors
• limitations in AI infrastructure, including computing capacity

Take part in the AI@Work survey

The European Employers’ Institute invites you to take part in the AI@Work survey on the use of artificial intelligence in EU-based companies.

Your input will help assess how AI affects productivity, competitiveness, and workforce management across Europe.

Survey details:

Your responses will support a fact-based approach to future regulation and strengthen employer perspectives in social dialogue.

Take part here.

Data collection for the survey has now closed.

You can download a copy of the survey here.

Fact sheet #13 – How the EU compares to the US and China

Fact Sheet #13– AI & Competitiveness

AI competitiveness is a key challenge for Europe. This analysis shows the EU lags behind the United States in AI model development, investment, and computing infrastructure.

Europe’s strengths include strong education systems and a solid base for AI talent. However, it struggles to turn innovation into scalable business outcomes.

Closing this gap requires faster AI adoption, stronger investment, and improved access to advanced infrastructure.

Fact sheet #12 – Miele

Fact Sheet #12– AI & Competitiveness

Miele uses AI to improve manufacturing processes. Key use cases include production data analysis, predictive maintenance, and generative AI for knowledge access and documentation.

Results show higher process stability with reduced scrap, lower waste and energy consumption, and more efficient maintenance through data-driven decisions.

Fact sheet #10 – Heuille et fils

Fact Sheet #10 – AI & Competitiveness

This fact sheet explores how Heuille et fils, a French SME specialised in industrial mechanics and metal machining, uses AI to improve operational management and productivity. Through MBS, an AI-supported management platform, the company shows how AI can assist with planning, analysing operational risks and supporting decision-making in industrial environments.

Fact sheet #8 – Salling Group

Fact Sheet #8 – AI & Competitiveness

This business case highlights how Salling Group uses a centralised AI-driven pricing model to optimise markdowns for products nearing expiration.

By analysing historical sales data, the system recommends context-specific discounts that reduce food waste, improve pricing consistency, and strengthen bottom-line performance – while keeping human oversight central.

The gradual rollout, strong management support, and continuous employee feedback were key to building trust and impact across stores.