The NBU conducted a quarterly survey of enterprises regarding their business expectations. The survey was expanded with a block of questions about the implementation of artificial intelligence.

The goal is to test the research hypothesis about the importance of AI as a tool for adapting business to a changing environment and increasing operational efficiency.

So does business use artificial intelligence to improve its own efficiency? This was written by the NBU, which asked entrepreneurs themselves about it.

Experts conducted two waves of surveys in spring 2025 and summer of this year, interviewing 649 and 658 enterprises of all sizes, types, and areas of activity from 21 regions of the country.

TOP 10 main conclusions

Based on the results of two waves of NBU surveys in Q2 2025 and Q3 2026

1. The use of AI by Ukrainian enterprises is at an early stage, but is noticeably accelerating: the share of enterprises already using AI grew from 13.1% to 23.4%; the share of those considering such a possibility — from 19.9% to 29.8%.

2. The existing or expected high level of automation from the introduction of AI has grown rapidly: the share of companies that already have or expect a high level of automation thanks to AI has increased from 2.0% to 46.8%

3. AI is spreading unevenly: the share of large enterprises using it grew from 15.3% to 33.2%; among small and medium-sized enterprises, this indicator increased more moderately — from 10.5% to 17.7% and from 13.5% to 20.6%, respectively.

4. Involvement in foreign trade is associated with a higher level of AI use: the highest level of AI use and the largest increase — by 1.9 times — is found in companies that carry out both export and import operations.

5. The speed of AI implementation differs significantly by sector: enterprises in construction, other types of economic activity, and manufacturing are leading; by contrast, in agriculture, mining, and energy and water supply, the share of enterprises that do not plan to use AI remains relatively high.

6. The current wave of AI implementation is largely based on accessible technologies: the most common area is generative AI, while more complex AI solutions are used much less often.

7. AI is used primarily as a tool for increasing operational efficiency: the main areas of application are administrative and financial functions, and the key motivation for enterprises is increasing efficiency and reducing costs.

8. The use of AI is growing in most regions, while regional dynamics remain heterogeneous; to a significant extent, it depends on territorial proximity to the combat zone and the relocation of businesses to safer regions.

9. The nature of barriers to the use of AI changes during the transition from interest to practical implementation: the needs for staff training, ready-made solutions, and expert support grow most noticeably.

10. The safe and reliable implementation of AI in business processes and data operations is becoming the next challenge: 34% of respondents expressed concerns about data security and confidentiality.

At the same time, it was previously reported that employees using AI work significantly more hours per day. After all, experts expected that artificial intelligence would create a tool more effective than human workers. But in the 4 years that have passed since artificial intelligence first became widely available as a commercial product, these productivity indicators have largely not materialized.

Also wrote, 78% of young people use AI at work without their employer's knowledge.

This is evidenced by the results of an OLX Robot study.

Young Ukrainians assess their own knowledge and skills in working with artificial intelligence rather cautiously. 57% of surveyed Ukrainians aged 18−29 rate their AI usage skills as good or very good.

At the same time, about 12% say they have weak skills or cannot use such tools at all.