According to a survey the consulting firm EY conducted for Microsoft, 86% of German companies expect artificial intelligence (AI) to have a strong impact on their industry over the next five years. 54% have already started a pilot project, compared to only 41% in Europe as a whole. Germany thus seems to be gradually catching up, as at present only a quarter of companies are ready to use the technology to handle individual tasks or even complete processes in the daily course of business. The European average is somewhat higher, at 31%.

Their high willingness to invest also speaks in favor of German companies making up ground: a total investment volume of around EUR 460 million puts the German economy in third place in a European comparison. France (EUR 1.2 billion) and Great Britain (EUR 6.5 billion) are nevertheless much more active. According to a study conducted by the consulting firm Deloitte, one reason for increasing German investments could be that companies in Germany tend to buy AI technology rather than develop it themselves.