Digital entrepreneurship, detailed data, 2024
The usage of AI technologies in enterprises almost doubled
21% of enterprises with at least 10 employees and self-employed use AI technologies. 71% are hampered by problems in digital transformation of business. The most common problem is lack of relevant staff or knowledge (48%). 69% of enterprises in 2024 have at least basic level of digital intensity.
The growth of two indicators of the European digital decade framework for digital transformation
Developments in the field of digital transformation of enterprises with 10 or more employees and self-employed by 2030 are being monitored with the targets set in the European Digital Decade. Two indicators were monitored this year.
In 2024:
Artificial intelligence technologies (AI) are used by 21% of enterprises with 10 or more employees and self-employed, almost twice as much as in the previous year (in 2023: 11%) – 19% of small, 23% of medium-sized and 60% of large enterprises. As regards the activity, 18% in manufacturing and 24% in service activities.
Enterprises use the following AI technologies:
13% of enterprises use AI for ICT security, 8% for organisation of business administration processes or management, 7% for marketing or sales, 6% for production or service processes, 5% for accounting, controlling or finance management, 4% for research and development (R&D) or innovation activity, and 3% for logistics.
More than three quarters of the enterprises (76%) that use AI technologies use purchased commercial software or systems (including examples where it was already incorporated in a purchased item or system). In 40% of enterprises external providers were contracted to develop or modify them, in 36% commercial software or systems were modified by own employees (including those employed in a parent or affiliate enterprise), and in 26% open-source software or systems were modified by own employees (including those employed in a parent or affiliate enterprise). In 15% of enterprises they were developed by own employees (including those employed in a parent or affiliate enterprise).
Lack of relevant expertise in enterprises main reason for not using AI technologies
12% of those enterprises that do not use AI technologies already considered using them (in 2023: 8%) – 9% of small, 24% of medium-sized and 41% of large enterprises. 65% of those enterprises answered that they are not using AI technologies due to lack of relevant expertise in the enterprise (in 2023: 54%), 21% answered that AI technologies are not useful for the enterprise (in 2023: 33%) – 26% of small, 9% of medium-sized and a fifth of large enterprises.
More than two thirds of small and medium-sized enterprises with at least basic digital intensity
71% of enterprises are hampered by problems in digital transformation of business (in 2023: 66%) – 69% of small, 81% of medium-sized and 83% of large enterprises. Enterprises stated as the most common problem that hampered digital transformation lack of relevant staff or knowledge (48%), followed with 37% by lack of financial resources.
The level of digital intensity of enterprises – the extent to which enterprises use information and communication technology (ICT), which is monitored in a given year – is shown by the digital intensity index. Enterprises are classified into four groups based on their usage.
In 2024, the largest share of enterprises with at least 10 employees and self-employed have a low digital intensity index (35%), 31% very low, 26% high and 8% very high digital intensity index. Data are most comparable with 2022, when the usage of the same ICT was monitored.
69% of enterprises have reached at least basic level of digital intensity, they have a low, a high or a very high digital intensity index (in 2022: 68%). Among small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), the share was 68% (in 2022: 67%).
In 2024, the digital intensity index was calculated on the basis of the following indicators:
Tables with the latest data, including by cohesion regions, are available in the SiStat Database.
Developments in the field of digital transformation of enterprises with 10 or more employees and self-employed by 2030 are being monitored with the targets set in the European Digital Decade. Two indicators were monitored this year.
In 2024:
- 21% of enterprises use artificial intelligence technologies (in 2023: 11%).
- 68% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) reached at least basic digital intensity (in 2022: 67%).
Artificial intelligence technologies (AI) are used by 21% of enterprises with 10 or more employees and self-employed, almost twice as much as in the previous year (in 2023: 11%) – 19% of small, 23% of medium-sized and 60% of large enterprises. As regards the activity, 18% in manufacturing and 24% in service activities.
Enterprises use the following AI technologies:
- Technologies for recognizing objects or people based on an image, e.g. recognition of a product, fingerprint, face, object, video – 12% of enterprises (in 2023: 6%),
- Technologies that generate written or spoken language (natural language generation) – 12% of enterprises (in 2023: 5%),
- Technologies that perform analysis of written language (e.g. text mining) – 5% of enterprises (in 2023: 1%),
- Machine learning (e.g. deep learning) for analysing data – 4% of enterprises (in 2023: 3%),
- Technologies that automate different workflows or assist in decision-making (e.g. AI based software robotic process automation) – 4% of enterprises (in 2023: 3%),
- Technologies that convert spoken language into machine-readable format (speech recognition) – 4% of enterprises (in 2023: 2%),
- Technologies that enable physical movement of machines via autonomous decisions based on observation of surroundings (autonomous robots and drones, self-driving vehicles) – 2% of enterprises (in 2023: 1%).
13% of enterprises use AI for ICT security, 8% for organisation of business administration processes or management, 7% for marketing or sales, 6% for production or service processes, 5% for accounting, controlling or finance management, 4% for research and development (R&D) or innovation activity, and 3% for logistics.
More than three quarters of the enterprises (76%) that use AI technologies use purchased commercial software or systems (including examples where it was already incorporated in a purchased item or system). In 40% of enterprises external providers were contracted to develop or modify them, in 36% commercial software or systems were modified by own employees (including those employed in a parent or affiliate enterprise), and in 26% open-source software or systems were modified by own employees (including those employed in a parent or affiliate enterprise). In 15% of enterprises they were developed by own employees (including those employed in a parent or affiliate enterprise).
Lack of relevant expertise in enterprises main reason for not using AI technologies
12% of those enterprises that do not use AI technologies already considered using them (in 2023: 8%) – 9% of small, 24% of medium-sized and 41% of large enterprises. 65% of those enterprises answered that they are not using AI technologies due to lack of relevant expertise in the enterprise (in 2023: 54%), 21% answered that AI technologies are not useful for the enterprise (in 2023: 33%) – 26% of small, 9% of medium-sized and a fifth of large enterprises.
More than two thirds of small and medium-sized enterprises with at least basic digital intensity
71% of enterprises are hampered by problems in digital transformation of business (in 2023: 66%) – 69% of small, 81% of medium-sized and 83% of large enterprises. Enterprises stated as the most common problem that hampered digital transformation lack of relevant staff or knowledge (48%), followed with 37% by lack of financial resources.
The level of digital intensity of enterprises – the extent to which enterprises use information and communication technology (ICT), which is monitored in a given year – is shown by the digital intensity index. Enterprises are classified into four groups based on their usage.
In 2024, the largest share of enterprises with at least 10 employees and self-employed have a low digital intensity index (35%), 31% very low, 26% high and 8% very high digital intensity index. Data are most comparable with 2022, when the usage of the same ICT was monitored.
69% of enterprises have reached at least basic level of digital intensity, they have a low, a high or a very high digital intensity index (in 2022: 68%). Among small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), the share was 68% (in 2022: 67%).
In 2024, the digital intensity index was calculated on the basis of the following indicators:
- More than half of employees and self-employed have access to the Internet for business purposes – in 58% of enterprises more than half of employees and self-employed have such access (in 2023: 55%).
- Enterprise employs ICT specialists – 18% of enterprises (in 2022: 21%). 8% of enterprises recruited or tried to recruit ICT specialists during 2023, of those 64% encountered difficulties. Enterprises encountered the following difficulties: 84% lack of applications, 83% lack of applicants' relevant work experience, 79% applicants' too high salary expectations and 54% applicants' lack of relevant ICT related qualifications from education or training.
- Maximum contracted download speed of the fastest fixed Internet connection is at least 30 Mbit/s – 83% of enterprises (the same as in 2023).
- Enterprise conducted remote meetings – 46% of enterprises (the same as in 2022).
- Enterprise makes persons employed aware of their obligations in ICT security related issues – 55% of enterprises (in 2022: 51%).
- Enterprise provided training to develop ICT related skills of the persons employed in the previous year – 27% of enterprises (in 2022: 29%).
- Enterprise uses at least three ICT security measures – 65% of enterprises (in 2022: 68%).
- Enterprise has document(s) on measures, practices or procedures on ICT security – 34% of enterprises (in 2022: 40%).
- Employees and self-employed have remote access to e-mail, documents or business apps – 84% of enterprises (in 2022: 86%).
- Enterprise uses AI technologies – 21% of enterprises (in 2023: 11%).
- Enterprise generated at least 1% of its turnover in the previous year via computer networks – with orders via websites or via electronic data interchange (EDI) – in 2024 there were 20% of such enterprises (in 2023: 18%).
- Enterprise generated more than 1% of its turnover via web sales and more than 10% of its web sales to private customers – in 2024 there were 9% of such enterprises (in 2023: 8%).
Tables with the latest data, including by cohesion regions, are available in the SiStat Database.
METHODOLOGICAL NOTE
The published data are estimates derived from the survey on the sample that represents enterprises with 10 or more employees and self-employed persons. An enterprise may consist of several ownership-related legal entities, as long as they operate on the market as one independent enterprise.
Additional explanations are available in the methodological explanations.
The survey is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Eurostat. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Additional explanations are available in the methodological explanations.
The survey is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Eurostat. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
When making use of the data and information of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, always add: "Source: SURS". More: Copyright.
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