The artificial intelligence boom has not quite reached offices yet. A recent report by Minsait, a Spanish digital transformation firm, showcased companies’ nascent effort to adopt the technology.  Presented on October 3 in Barcelona, the report, under the title AI: A Snapshot of a Revolution in Progress, reveals that “36% of businesses are already developing artificial intelligence strategies, with 10% fully integrating these technologies into their operations.”

The study uses insights from over 900 organisations across 15 sectors in Spain and beyond, shedding light on the current landscape of AI implementation in private companies and public administrations.

The event presented some successful case studies in various fields, including Industry, Consumer services, financial services, and public administration. However, it also addressed the challenges organisations face as they scale AI technologies; among those concerns include ethical and legal issues, cybersecurity woes, the need for strategic partnerships, a bleeding shortage of specialised professionals, and a lack of “comprehensive strategies for AI deployment.”

Leticia Gómez Rivero, head of AI strategy and governance at Minsait, emphasised the importance of the newly approved European AI Act, stating it “provides valuable guidance for ethical and secure artificial intelligence adoption.” She highlighted the necessity of having “system supervisors, auditable architectures, and safeguards against data attacks as integral components of any AI adoption strategy.”

Adoption motivators

The report notes that organisations are primarily motivated to adopt it to enhance operational efficiency (72%), second in the list is to improve decision-making processes (34%), and third to evolve customer experiences (31%). Minsait also reports that the recent emergence of generative AI through tools like ChatGPT of OpenAI, Gemini from Alphabet (Google) or Baidu’s Ernie (which recently hit 100 million users) has accelerated the adoption of the technology as companies experiment with these technologies and try to harness their vast potential.

Within the analysed sectors, the service sector is the one leading in AI adoption, with 41% of companies in this sector focusing on information management. These include document recognition, data extraction, and knowledge management. Furthermore, 37% are investing in AI for risk management and cybersecurity.

AI barriers to adoption

Despite advancements, the report identifies significant barriers to AI adoption. Six out of ten companies reported difficulties finding specialised talent, while 40% cited a lack of vision and corporate culture supportive of AI initiatives. Additionally, 30% noted insufficient technological infrastructure in their workspaces to implement it effectively.

José Luis Ramos Martín, director of services at Minsait, commented on AI’s transformative potential across various sectors. He stated, “The service sector is on the brink of a profound transformation powered by it. Those who harness this technology not only enhance operational efficiency but also position themselves to lead innovation in an increasingly competitive market.”