INFOGRAPHIC are still working to develop comprehensive strategies for these technologies .
The study , which surveyed 900 IT decisionmakers across seven European countries , found organisations have invested an average of € 103.4 million into AI and automation implementations over the last two years , with over half ( 59 %) spending up to € 295 million .
These investments are yielding significant returns , with 86 % of organisations reporting ROI averaging € 154.7 million .
“ European enterprises clearly recognise the transformative potential of AI and automation , particularly in addressing their most pressing operational challenges ,” said Ritu Dubey , Head of New Business Sales and Market Development , Digitate . “ However , the research indicates that many organisations are implementing these technologies on a departmental basis rather than as part of an integrated vision . To maximise the value of these substantial investments , enterprises need to develop more comprehensive strategies .”
Key findings from the research include :
• Time savings ( 60 %), greater efficiency ( 57 %) and increased productivity ( 55 %) are the primary benefits organisations have realised from AI and automation implementations
• IT operations is the leading area for deployment , with 81 % of organisations using automation and 62 % using AI in their IT departments
• 94 % of organisations plan to change their cloud strategy over the next two to three years , with 54 % transitioning to a multicloud strategy
• Organisations expect a dramatic shift toward autonomous operations in the next five years , with the number of companies using automation that learns and adapts with minimal human input projected to more than double from 7 % to 20 %
BUDGET CONSTRAINTS AND LACK OF TECHNICAL SKILLS ( BOTH 29 %) ARE THE TOP OBSTACLES , FOLLOWED BY DATA COLLECTION AND MANAGEMENT ISSUES ( 28 %).
• Finland leads in Generative AI adoption with a 98 % deployment rate
• UK organisations particularly struggle with technical skills gaps , citing this as their primary obstacle above budget constraints
• French companies show more caution , with 24 % reporting they have not yet widely deployed Generative AI tools – the highest percentage among surveyed countries
Looking ahead , 78 % of respondents plan to implement additional AI or automation within the next two years , with 40 % aiming to have new tools in place by the end of 2024 . The focus areas for future deployment include IT operations ( 74 %), cybersecurity ( 56 %) and network monitoring ( 39 %). x
Despite the enthusiasm for these technologies , organisations face several challenges in implementation . Budget constraints and lack of technical skills ( both 29 %) are the top obstacles , followed by data collection and management issues ( 28 %). Additionally , 43 % of organisations report that their current implementations still require more human intervention than desired .
The research revealed notable regional variations in adoption and implementation :
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