Bitkom-Studie: Mehrheit der Unternehmen nutzt KI – Bedenken bleiben

Künstliche Intelligenz (KI) has firmly established itself in Germany's corporate landscape, according to a recent Bitkom study. For the first time, 57% of companies with over 20 employees have adopted AI technologies, nearly three times the number from two years ago. However, the widespread adoption of KI has sparked concerns among businesses, with one in three companies fearing it could lead to their own demise, and many feeling hindered by European regulatory measures.

Success stories abound, as 40% of users report improved competitiveness, and nearly half have accelerated internal processes. Yet, 61% believe that companies without KI will struggle to survive. Bitkom President Ralf Wintergerst noted that there is both optimism and uncertainty surrounding KI, as companies recognize it as a critical technology for the future while also fearing potential job losses.

Despite the initial enthusiasm, most businesses are only just beginning to leverage the potential of KI. The majority have implemented KI primarily in customer service or marketing, with deeper integration into areas like controlling, production, and knowledge management. The European AI Act has emerged as a significant obstacle for companies, with over a third affected directly and another third currently assessing the impact.

Ninety-nine percent of these businesses anticipate high to very high bureaucratic costs for compliance, especially as they operate two KI systems that fall under the high-risk category. Consequently, two-thirds of the economy now believe that the AI Act brings more disadvantages than benefits for German companies. While some predict a slight decline in employment in the coming two years, the practical experience of implementing KI is dampening concerns about job losses.

In fact, two out of three companies are investing in their workforce's further education and training.