A new report by AI Chamber, based on a survey conducted among over 3,200 small and medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs, from 11 countries in Central and Eastern Europe, shows that over 75% of SMEs in the region claim to already be using AI, but only 25% do so at scale.
Titled “How are CEE SMEs finding their way in the AI world?”, the report offers the most comprehensive analysis to date of how the economic backbone of the region is navigating the global transition to artificial intelligence.
Although over 75% of SMEs in the region state they use AI tools, only one in four does so at scale. In Romania, this proportion is even lower. Implementation is mostly concentrated in departments such as marketing and customer relations, with limited penetration into strategic areas such as product development or the supply chain.
Only 36% of companies in Romania are aware of the provisions of the AI Act, below the regional average (39%), indicating a lack of preparedness for the new regulatory requirements.
“This report challenges the widespread myth that AI adoption is just a matter of access to technology. The decisive factor is organizational maturity, leadership clarity, talent readiness, and strategic intent,” says Tomasz Snażyk, CEO of AI Chamber.
The study categorizes companies into four typologies: “Practical Optimists,” “Aware with Barriers,” “AI Indifferent,” and “Digitally Withdrawn.” Romania has a balanced distribution across all four segments: 21% of firms are digitally withdrawn, 29% are indifferent, 19% are practical optimists, and 31% are aware of AI’s potential but face barriers. These data reflect an openness toward AI among Romanian companies, but also a severe lack of internal resources and expertise.
Furthermore, 66% of Romanian companies believe AI will transform their industry, above the regional average, but only 44% think AI will bring direct benefits to their business.
One of the key findings of the AI Chamber report is the clear link between company size and AI maturity. In Romania too, larger firms (50–250 employees) dominate the “Aware with Barriers” segment, while microenterprises are overrepresented in the “Digitally Withdrawn” category.
Despite the lack of digital infrastructure in some cases, the report shows Romanian employees are eager to innovate: 61% actively seek ways to use AI at work, one of the highest rates in the region. However, only 8% of Romanian companies declare themselves prepared for an AI audit, in line with the CEE average.
Romania holds a middle position in the AI landscape of CEE: open to innovation, but still hindered by a lack of knowledge, clear strategies, and digital skills. More than 57% of Romanian companies say that the lack of know-how is the main barrier to AI, the highest percentage after Bulgaria (56%). At the same time, 25% of firms in Romania have taken no steps to train employees in AI, which risks deepening the gap between prepared companies and those left behind.
The report comes at a time when artificial intelligence is redefining global economic power. According to UNCTAD, the global AI market will reach USD 4.8 trillion by 2033, a 25-fold increase from 2023.
(Photo source: press release)
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