French companies remain lagging behind in the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). This is the observation drawn up by a recent INSEE study published on July 1 relating to the use of the AI by them (and not its use by employees in a professional context).
In 2024, only 10 % of French companies declared to use AI, a figure below the European average (13 %) and very far behind the countries of northern Europe such as Sweden, Finland but also Germany, the Netherlands or even Belgium. L‘Use of AI frequently reaches 20 to 28 %. A figure reached by Denmark.
In contrast, the countries of Eastern Europe close, with rates oscillating between 3 and 7 %. In the south of Europe as in Italy or Spain, the rates are similar to that of France.
Use upwards in large companies
But this delay should not obscure the fact that in France, the use of AI by companies increased sharply between 2023 and 2024 (+66.6 %). At the same time, in Europe, the increase was slightly lower (+ 62.5%).
The use of AI in business in France is, in fact, strongly correlated at the size of the structure. Large companies with more than 250 employees are 33 % to adopt it, compared to 9 % of companies with between 10 and 49 employees.
“Dare the AI”
In an attempt to fill the delay in Europe, the government launched the “dare the AI” plan in early July, carried by Clara Chappaz, Minister Delegate responsible for artificial and digital intelligence. The objective? Generalize the use of AI in 100 % of large groups, 80 % of SMEs/ETIs and 50 % of VSEs by 2030. To achieve this, the plan provides for Sensitize companies to the use of AI, and to train them thanks to a device called “ACA ACADEMY”, a dedicated online platform. All with an envelope of 200 million euros, including 100 million from France 2030.
