EIB: AI creates productivity gains, but not for everyone, nor immediately

Posted by Isabelle Szczepanski le 21 janvier 2026

The European Investment Bank shows that AI increases productivity by around 4%, but gradually and unevenly, benefiting mainly large companies with data, capital, and skills, while SMEs lag behind.

While the debate on the return on investment of artificial intelligence remains heated, a new study by the European Investment Bank provides fresh empirical evidence based on data from European companies. The findings are less spectacular than the marketing hype, but more solid: AI does generate measurable productivity gains, but only under certain conditions.
Improved productivity
The first key finding is that the effect exists and can be quantified….

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