Bitkom: AI is widespread, but its potential remains untapped
This article is an AI-generated translation of the German original. The German version is authoritative.
4 Min. Read Time
Bitkom will release the results of a survey of 603 companies on September 14, 2026. 57 percent are already using artificial intelligence.
Key Takeaways
- Bitkom finds 57 percent of companies using AI. A further 38 percent are planning or discussing its implementation, while only 4 percent are leaving the topic aside.
- 59 percent of users aren’t fully leveraging AI’s potential. This applies from companies with 20 employees to large corporations.
- Infrastructure and data preparation strain budgets. Only 21 percent cite AI software licenses as a major cost factor.
- Two-thirds see the AI Act as more disadvantageous than beneficial. 89 percent of affected companies or those still assessing their status expect high implementation effort.
Related:Skills Shortage: Logistics Turns to AI Instead of Training / McKinsey: AI Delivers Speed, But EBIT Remains Flat
What is the Bitkom AI survey? Bitkom Research conducted the interviews by phone during calendar weeks 28 to 33 of 2026.
Most Companies Use AI, But Many Feel They’re Just Getting Started
57 percent of companies with 20 or more employees are already using AI, up from 36 percent a year earlier. The Bitkom survey released on September 14 reveals rapid adoption.
The survey includes 603 German companies, interviewed by phone in summer 2026. Responses reflect usage and company assessments, not independent productivity measurements.
Early Benefits and Untapped Potential Coexist
Two-thirds of users report a stronger competitive position. Yet 59 percent say they are not fully exploiting AI’s potential. This seems contradictory but reflects two different questions: current gains and future opportunities.
The second point doesn’t imply these companies gain no benefit. No surveyed user claims the potential is fully exhausted. The assessment holds true across company sizes.
Data and computing power drive costs
45 percent of companies will spend more on AI in 2026 than in the previous year. Half will keep expenditures unchanged.
| AI cost factors for users | Share reporting high effort |
|---|---|
| Infrastructure like cloud and computing power | 51 percent |
| Data preparation | 50 percent |
| Integration into existing systems | 41 percent |
| Subscriptions and licenses for AI software | 21 percent |
| Token consumption | 8 percent |
Source: Bitkom, September 14, 2026.
Few respondents cite token consumption as a major cost factor. This does not imply a general statement about token costs as a share of every AI budget.
“
Buying only a license means you have bought AI but changed nothing yet.
– Ralf Wintergerst, Bitkom President (Press Release, September 14, 2026)
Wintergerst outlines the sequence: prepare data, connect systems, and provide computing capacity.
Without expertise and staff, adoption becomes challenging
85 percent of companies without AI cite a lack of knowledge as a barrier to implementation. More than half also lack staff. For those already using AI, data protection requirements and legal uncertainties take center stage.
70 percent of respondents now train employees in AI usage. Yet two-thirds still rate their workforce’s AI skills as low. Growing adoption has therefore not yet eliminated the need for training.
AI agents expand the challenge
11 percent of companies that use AI or are planning or discussing its deployment already use AI agents. These systems can execute multiple workflows within defined permissions, such as gathering and comparing quotes.
The next evolution requires reliable data, integrated systems, and clearly defined access rights. Data preparation and system integration already rank as major cost drivers among respondents. Purchasing additional software licenses alone won’t solve these challenges.
The survey doesn’t answer whether companies will convert investments into higher returns. It does reveal the prerequisites for continued adoption.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Bitkom measure on September 14, 2026?
57 percent of companies with 20 or more employees are using artificial intelligence. Bitkom Research surveyed 603 companies by phone.
Why is the potential still untapped?
No user claims to fully utilize the potential. Key cost drivers include infrastructure, data preparation, and integration.
Where do AI costs arise?
51 percent of users cite infrastructure, such as cloud and computing power, as a major expense, while 50 percent point to data preparation. Subscriptions and licenses are significant costs for only 21 percent.
Does the AI Act affect small and mid-sized companies?
37 percent of companies believe they will be impacted as users, while 34 percent are still assessing this. Among this group, 89 percent expect high implementation efforts.
How do AI agents differ from chatbots?
A chatbot answers questions, while an agent retrieves offers, compares prices, and develops options. 11 percent already use such agents, and 29 percent plan to implement them.
Editor’s Picks
- Why AI adoption in mid-sized companies fails because of the wrong sequence
- Shadow AI in mid-sized companies: What hidden usage reveals
- When AI replaces the position that was never posted
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Translated from the German original with AI support. The German version is authoritative.
