Majority of German companies now use AI – but concerns remain

A majority of companies in Germany with 20 or more employees, or 57% of them, are now using artificial intelligence - almost three times as many as two years ago - according to a study released on Monday by digital industry association Bitkom.

However, surveyed companies also expressed concerns about the downsides businesses associate with AI.

In the representative survey of 603 companies, two thirds of users reported an improved competitive position, while nearly half have been able to accelerate internal processes or have achieved measurable successes.

On the other hand, more than a third are specifically concerned about their own survival, and one in three companies using AI admits to having adopted it primarily out of fear of falling behind. 

A growing number of businesses said they feel held back by European regulatory requirements.

"We see a great deal of confidence surrounding AI, but also uncertainty," Bitkom President Ralf Wintergerst said. "The very same companies that recognize AI as the decisive technology of the coming years also fear that it will threaten their very existence."

The study also reveals that the majority of users are still in the very early stages of AI adoption. Not a single company believed it is already fully exploiting the technology's potential.

The legal situation, in the form of the European AI Act, is proving to be a major obstacle for companies. Two-thirds of the business community as a whole believe that the law brings more disadvantages than advantages for German companies.