OpenAI Flags AI Adoption Gap in Europe Amid Agent Surge
OpenAI reports an 8-fold surge in AI agent use among EU small businesses, yet a massive productivity gap remains compared to North America.
OpenAI has identified a significant opportunity for European businesses to boost productivity by bridging the widening gap in artificial intelligence adoption. While the use of AI agents has seen a massive surge among small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the European Union, a substantial disparity remains between European firms and global leaders in intensive AI utilization.
The Rise of AI Agents in the EU
According to a recent report from OpenAI, the era of simple AI experimentation is evolving into an era of functional automation. AI agents—tools capable of managing tasks from initial planning to final completion—now represent more than half of the total output generated through OpenAI's enterprise and business platforms within the EU.
The data reveals a staggering trend among small and medium-sized enterprises. Between early May and October 5, 2026, the weekly active use of AI agents among EU SMBs increased more than eightfold. This rapid growth follows the July introduction of ChatGPT Work. Given that SMBs constitute 63 per cent of private-sector employment in the EU and contribute over 5 trillion euros to the bloc's economy annually, this shift holds immense economic implications.
Regional Leaders and Laggards
The adoption of agentic AI is not uniform across the continent. The report highlights significant variations in how different member states are integrating these technologies:
- Lithuania: Led the pack with the highest share of agentic AI use, accounting for 85 per cent of output tokens in September.
- Cyprus: Followed closely with 81 per cent.
- Hungary: Recorded 79 per cent.
- Slovenia: Reported the lowest integration at just 22 per cent.
When looking at the growth of weekly active users among SMBs, Belgium saw a remarkable 12.1-fold increase, followed by Italy at 10.8 times and Luxembourg at 10 times. Notably, every single EU country recorded a growth rate of more than five times during this period.
The Global Productivity Gap
Despite the local surge, OpenAI warns of a growing divide between Europe and the rest of the world. The report defines "frontier firms" as the top 10 per cent of businesses based on AI output tokens per active user. Currently, EU-based companies make up only about 10 per cent of these global frontier firms, whereas North America accounts for approximately 65 per cent.
The disparity is even more evident when comparing output levels. While leading firms within the EU generate more than four times the output tokens per active user compared to typical EU firms, they still trail behind the global stage. Frontier firms outside the EU produce more than twice the output of their European counterparts.
"Europe is now in a new era of AI, with tools that can carry out tasks for people," said Sarah Friar, OpenAI Chief Financial Officer. "Giving people the tools, skills and confidence to use AI well will help build stronger businesses and growing economies, with benefits felt across Europe."
The Path Forward for European Business
To close this gap and unlock higher productivity, the report suggests that European businesses must move beyond the experimental phase. The key to strengthening economic performance lies in making advanced AI tools more accessible and affordable, while simultaneously focusing on building the necessary skills and confidence among the workforce.