The energy sector in the European Union is at the forefront of AI adoption, ranking among the top three sectors with the highest implementation. The share of enterprises using at least one AI technology increased from 18% in 2021 to 34% in 2025. These findings are part of a new report by the European Commission and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) measuring AI adoption across strategic sectors in the EU.
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Overall, the share of firms using at least one artificial intelligence (AI) technology increased from 8% to 20% between 2021 and 2025. The use of AI has increased in all strategic sectors, but unevenly, the Measuring AI adoption in the European Union report finds.
Sectors like the media, energy, and electronic communications lead the way, with at least 30% of firms using AI. On the other end, sectors like mobility, transport and automotive, tourism, and agri-food lag, displaying an adoption rate of around 13%.
Acquisition pathways influenced by the security of critical infrastructure
The report shows that in the ranking based on AI-enhanced organization – adjusting and reorganizing to take full advantage of AI, the energy sector is in the top position.
There are several acquisition pathways, ranging from off-the-shelf ready-to-use products to systems that are fully built by a firm’s own staff.
The sectors with a relatively higher share of firms that either create bespoke AI tools or substantially modify existing ones are electronics, energy and the media, followed by defence and pharma, according to the report.
The use of systems created or modified by external providers has dropped sharply
Between 2021 and 2024, the energy sector showed the most pronounced shift in acquisition patterns.
The use of systems created or modified by external providers has dropped sharply, while both the adoption of commercial systems, either ready-to-use or adapted by the firm’s own staff, and the development of AI solutions in-house have grown, the report stressed.
The authors pointed out that these trends presumably reflect the heightened sensitivity in defence and energy to the security of critical infrastructure.
A broad range of AI technologies
The energy sector displays the most diversified adoption profile of AI technologies among all strategic sectors, according to the report.
There is a particularly strong uptake of tools for workflow automation, decision-support systems, and machine-learning techniques for data analysis. Other technologies include written language analysis, content generation, and speech-to-text conversion.
Energy companies use AI for a variety of purposes
The energy sector, together with electronic communications and defence, has a relatively higher focus on using AI for ICT security than other sectors, reflecting the critical importance of protecting critical infrastructure, the report reads.
The energy sector refers to the production, transmission, distribution, and consumption of energy, including renewable energy sources, fossil fuels, and nuclear energy, as well as infrastructure, according to the authors of the report.
