Business · 2026-11-11

Ukrainian business increasingly uses AI: automation rose from 2% to 46.8%

According to a National Bank of Ukraine survey, the share of Ukrainian companies that already actively use artificial intelligence rose from 13.1% to 23.4% in a year.

✨ What the survey found

The National Bank of Ukraine added questions about artificial intelligence to its quarterly business surveys. The goal was to find out how AI helps companies work more efficiently and adapt to change.

The survey ran in two waves: in May 2025 and in August 2026. It included 649 and 658 companies from various industries in 21 regions of Ukraine, excluding territories under occupation. The answers come from top managers themselves, so they reflect their assessments, not the official position of the NBU.

📌 Key figures

The share of companies that already actively use AI rose from 13.1% to 23.4%. Another 29.8% of companies are considering it, up from 19.9% before.

The biggest jump was in automation. The share of businesses that have reached or expect a high level of automation thanks to AI rose from 2% to 46.8%.

Large businesses adopt AI twice as actively as small and medium-sized ones, with 33.2% active users among large companies. The highest AI use is among companies that both export and import, where the share grew 1.9 times.

🔹 Which industries already use AI

AI is being adopted fastest in construction and manufacturing. In agriculture, mining, and energy, many companies do not plan to use these tools at all.

The most common use is generative AI, meaning programs that create text or documents. It is mainly used for administrative and financial tasks.

🔸 Why businesses use AI and what holds them back

The main reason for managers is cutting costs and optimizing products and processes.

The biggest obstacles between interest and real adoption are a lack of trained staff, no ready-made industry solutions, and the need for expert help. In addition, 34% of respondents are concerned about data security and confidentiality. Regional differences are also shaped by security conditions, proximity to combat zones, and business relocation.

Sources: 🔗 DOU/dev.ua