Spanish companies fail to connect with the AI revolution

There is agreement that artificial intelligence is one of the most significant revolutions of recent times due to its ability to automate repetitive tasks, improve customer service, and analyze data with astonishing precision, but mass adoption by Spanish companies remains a pending challenge. In an economy where SMEs account for 99.78% of the population, its implementation faces a complex outlook because these companies have limited financial and human resources, a reality that contrasts with that of large corporations, which, despite having sufficient muscle, have managed to jump on the algorithm bandwagon and take full advantage of its potential.

The result is a business community that advances at two speeds, creating a gap that not only undermines the individual competitiveness of those lagging behind, but also threatens to hinder the country's overall growth. The report "Indicators of the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Spain 2024," by Ontsi and Red.es, puts figures on inequality and shows that in some cases there has even been a decline in the adoption of AI. This is the case with organizations with 10 to 49 employees: in 2022, 9.4% used this technology, but in 2024 only 8.6% did so . In the segment with 50 to 249 employees, the increase during this period has been minimal, going from 20% to 20.6%. It is in companies with more than 249 employees where artificial intelligence has found its most fertile niche: penetration reached 44% in 2024, compared to 41.2% two years ago.

When comparing ourselves to Europe, the conclusion is that others have taken the helm. In the ranking of companies with ten or more employees using at least one AI technology, our country falls to fourteenth place (11.3%), below the EU-27 average (13.5%). The document explains that growing at a slower rate than the EU as a whole (2.1 points versus 5.5) has put us in this position.

EU companies using

at least one AI technology

2024

% of the total number of companies

of more than 10 workers

Evolution of companies

that use AI in Spain

2021-2024

By size. As a % of the total

Reasons not to use AI

2024

% on companies that have considered

acquire some technology of AI

Availability

or quality of

the data

Source: INE / Ontsi / Red.es

EU companies using at least

an AI technology / 2024

% of the total number of companies with more than 10 employees

Evolution of companies using AI in Spain

2021-2024

By size. As a % of the total

Reasons not to use AI / 2024

% on companies that have considered acquire some technology of AI

Availability

or quality of the data

Source: INE / Ontsi / Red.es

The stakes are high because artificial intelligence has become a fundamental pillar of progress . If companies fall behind in its adoption, the negative impact will be felt on multiple fronts, with an inevitable loss of national competitiveness and a weakening of the country on the global stage.

"Artificial intelligence offers tangible opportunities to boost productivity, whether by optimizing internal processes, personalizing customer relationships, or anticipating demand," summarizes Julio Linares, president of the CEOE Digital Society Commission. This is reflected in the document "Generative AI Use Cases," prepared by the employers' association's Data and Artificial Intelligence Working Group.

These advantages are already being reaped by large companies, but not to the same extent by smaller ones, as demonstrated by the report "The Impact of AI on the Economy" by BBVA Research, which reveals that in Spain, 40% use AI solutions compared to 8% of SMEs. "More active adoption by larger companies can and should serve as inspiration for the SME ecosystem . Without an inclusive approach, we run the risk of widening the digital gaps between them," it says.

To reverse the gap, Linares argues that it is key to strengthen support mechanisms for the digitalization of SMEs, both in terms of financing and training: "At CEOE, we have been insisting on the need to expand and improve programs like Kit Digital, as well as to promote public-private collaboration to facilitate access to AI solutions that are tailored, understandable, and useful for small businesses." This is a decisive moment that allows for no false steps. "Not jumping on this bandwagon," he warns, "implies not only a loss of competitiveness, but also a limitation in operational efficiency and the ability to adapt to an increasingly digital market."

Sancho Lerena, CEO of Pandora FMS and an expert in IT management and security, points out that Spain remains far from meeting the objective of the Digital Spain 2025 plan, which set a target for at least 25% of companies to use artificial intelligence and big data this year. He emphasizes that the most urgent need for action is in SMEs: "They are suffocated, focused on putting out their fires, and they find it difficult to apply disruptive technologies that require certain staff members to dedicate time to research, testing, and implementation." Lerena is clear, however, that turning our backs on artificial intelligence will become a death sentence: "Businesses that do not incorporate it will cease to be competitive and will disappear."

Experts agree that for artificial intelligence to permeate the entire business community, including SMEs, they must understand the tangible results it can have on their operations. Jacobo Garnacho, director of AI and Data at IBM, emphasizes that it's not about implementing the technology to follow a trend, but rather about identifying the use cases where it will add value, something that is easier today for two reasons.

The first is that "for several years, small language models (SLMs) have been gaining ground, requiring fewer resources, designed for specific tasks, and are easy to adapt to specific environments," he explains. The second is that "a growing number of players, including IBM, are seeking to market solutions that can be deployed quickly and integrated with a company's existing systems, opening the door to small businesses without the need to set up a large infrastructure." Garnacho comments that technology companies like IBM are committed to more accessible, "ready-to-use" solutions and, in addition, work with a network of partners that helps them adapt them as much as possible to each client's specific needs.

A recent IBM study indicates that 89% of Spanish CEOs expect to see a positive return on AI efficiency by 2027, although only 23% of initiatives have achieved the expected ROI in recent years. "AI is within everyone's reach, and the real challenge is knowing how to turn 'experimentation' into sustained impact ," he suggests. IBM has developed a platform, Watsonx, which, according to Garnacho, allows anyone, regardless of their current stage, to take advantage of artificial intelligence.

For now, certain industries are leading the way. Alberto García Arrieta, head of Data & AI at Accenture, asserts that artificial intelligence is having the greatest impact in sectors that handle large volumes of data and compete in innovation: technology, communications, finance, energy and utilities, retail, tourism , and advanced industry. "They already had a solid foundation in data management, which has allowed them to adopt AI more quickly," he notes. He also points out that they are going beyond automating isolated tasks, as "they are redesigning entire processes with intelligent agents to gain efficiency, improve products and services, and strengthen their competitive advantage."

García Arrieta distinguishes between solutions that simply automate tasks and those that significantly transform business processes. The data the expert handles paints a picture of an unresolved issue: "According to our latest study 'Europe's AI Reckoning,' 55% of Spanish companies do not make significant investments in AI. In many organizations, generative AI is still in the pilot phase and is not fully integrated into processes, indicating that there is still a long way to go."

According to the Ontsi and Red.es report, there are several reasons behind companies' reluctance to explore AI technologies. The most common is lack of awareness , expressed by 78.9%, followed by a lack of clarity about the legal consequences of its use (49.2%) and difficulties with data availability or quality (48.3%).

Accenture's García Arrieta speaks of "the lack of training, the scarcity of specialized talent, and the difficulty in identifying use cases with real impact." The big challenge now, as IBM also pointed out, "is precisely moving from the experimentation phase to mass adoption that allows us to capture the full value that AI can bring."

Despite the undeniable advantages and transformative potential of AI, misgivings persist. A recent Capgemini study reveals that almost half of the companies worldwide that are scaling their use of AI agents say they fully trust their capabilities, while in Spain, the level of trust drops to 33% . Francisco Monzonis, Chief AI Officer at Capgemini, attributes this to a combination of circumstances. "There are concerns regarding data privacy, potential biases, and the very opacity of AI, which often operates as a 'black box,'" he begins by pointing out. This is a critical aspect for companies, which, especially since last year, are strengthening their internal structures by hiring specialized regulatory professionals to ensure regulatory compliance.

Another challenge that, in his opinion, determines the attitude toward this technology is data governance, both internal and external to the company. It's worth remembering that the quality of information is essential for the proper execution of programs , so if it contains errors, the results are likely to be inaccurate.

Staff training to interact with AI tools is also a key area to monitor. "It's about ensuring that people have the skills, capabilities, and knowledge of how AI can help them in their daily work and in different business processes. It must be addressed horizontally because it affects all departments, not just IT."

The consultancy's report also reveals that only a minority of Spanish organizations have a clear vision for its application. Barely 27% distinguish between AI, generative AI, and AI agents, and only 21% know how to effectively incorporate the technology. "A lack of understanding of it can lead to ineffective implementations, influence expectations, and generate resistance to change. Negative effects include not correctly identifying the use case and, consequently, not achieving the efficiencies and business value that AI can provide," warns Francisco Monzonis.

Sectors such as the hotel industry are above average in the use of this type of solution (11.9% vs. 11.4%), according to the Ontsi and Red.es report. Transport and storage rank second to last, with a penetration rate of 8.7%.

In this context, support is positioned as a crucial element in guiding companies, especially SMEs, when deciding which solutions best fit their specific needs. Carlos López-Blanco, president of the Digitalization Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Spain, believes that, given the constant bombardment they receive, the first step is to help them understand the world of artificial intelligence , that is, which tools based on this technology are useful for their business and which are not. "Chambers of Commerce, Red.es, and other organizations carry out essential advisory work to raise awareness of the importance of using technology and to help them understand which AI-based services available on the market can add value," he adds.

Although AI makes headlines daily, López-Blanco points out that organizations are not facing a new phenomenon, as the use of technology has always acted as a competitive factor for SMEs. "AI is an evolutionary leap because it allows for much more sophisticated and grounded solutions," he clarifies. Its benefits range from improved efficiency to in-depth knowledge of customers, the market, and the competition. "The great challenge for Spain's industrial structure is for SMEs to grow. They can only grow using technology, and today, artificial intelligence is an essential element in the process," he concludes.

Spanish companies are treading cautiously in the face of algorithm fever, a path of no return that will redefine the course of business.