Adesso study: Companies demand "GenAI made in Europe"

Switzerland and the EU are not playing first fiddle in the global AI race. This is set to change. At the AI summit in Paris at the beginning of the year, the European Union announced extensive investments in the AI sector in order to catch up with global competition and strengthen Europe's technological sovereignty. Together with a clear focus on the development of safe and ethical AI, these investments are intended to help Europe become a global leader.

In a new GenAI study, Adesso examines how Swiss companies currently assess Switzerland and Europe in terms of generative AI, how fit they consider themselves to be and what role GenAI now plays in their day-to-day work. To this end, the IT service provider surveyed 100 managers from the Swiss economy.

Key findings of the study:

• Companies are waiting for "GenAI made in Europe". The respondents send a signal about the need for European alternatives. For 59%, it is important or very important that the GenAI applications that their company uses or could use were developed in Europe. This shows a great awareness of digital sovereignty and a strong desire not to become dependent on non-European providers.
• Regulation is a necessary instrument. The majority of respondents are in favor of stronger regulation of AI applications such as ChatGPT: 51% "somewhat" agree, 24% even "completely" agree. These figures show that companies not only accept regulation, but that many see it as a necessary instrument for dealing responsibly with AI.
• The GenAI fitness of companies is increasing. Companies now see themselves as better prepared for GenAI. The proportion of companies that feel well or very well prepared has risen from 31% in the previous year to 39%. At the strategic level, however, GenAI is only tentatively arriving in companies. Only 50 percent have already developed an AI strategy - and 25 percent of these companies only take traditional AI into account.
• AI agents are on the radar, but hardly ever in use. Currently, 39 percent of respondents state that they are evaluating the possible uses of AI agents. Only 11 percent are already using AI agents productively in individual areas. These figures show that the next evolutionary stage of GenAI - autonomous, actively acting AI agents - has not yet arrived on a broad scale in companies.
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Ralf Schmidt, Head of CC Data & AI at adesso Switzerland, encourages companies to take a more decisive approach: "Artificial intelligence is not just changing processes - it is calling entire business models into question. In view of the rapid development of new application possibilities, it is clear that it is no longer a question of whether companies have to act, but how consistently and sustainably they do so."

The full impact report can be downloaded here can be downloaded.

Adesso was founded in Dortmund in 1997 and currently employs over 10,400 people in the adesso Group. As a national subsidiary of Adesso SE, Adesso Schweiz AG distributes the consulting and IT service provider's service portfolio on the Swiss market. Adesso focuses on the core business processes of companies and public administrations with consulting and individual software development. Adesso's strategy is based on three pillars: the deep industry know-how of its employees, extensive technological expertise and tried-and-tested methods for implementing software projects. The result is superior IT solutions that make companies more competitive.