- Dutch SMEs are European leaders in AI adoption: 74.4% have already deeply integrated AI; nearly 60% plan significant investments in cloud, automation, and new AI applications.
- Management and employees are embracing AI at a high pace: 86% trust AI more than last year; 71% of SME managers actively use it in decision-making.
- This rapid growth, however, has a downside: 46.8% of employees use AI without reporting it, while 97% of companies already have an AI policy – a clear sign that adoption is outpacing control.
The willingness to invest further is high. Just under 60% of SMEs expect to invest significantly in cloud capacity, process automation, and new AI applications in the coming three years. Managers play an active role in this: 71% of SME managers use AI themselves in decision-making. The broad trust in the technology is also growing; 86% indicate they find AI more reliable than a year ago.
'Dutch SMEs are investing faster and broader in AI than the rest of Europe,' says Rogier van Konijnenburg, Business Unit Manager IT Services at Sharp Benelux. 'But with that acceleration comes the responsibility to maintain control over the technology. Organizations that can strategically manage AI – from infrastructure to governance – will benefit the most from this development.'
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At the same time, a gap is emerging between formal policy and actual use. Although 97% of companies have an AI policy, 46.8% of employees use AI tools without reporting it. This form of 'shadow AI' indicates a lack of visibility on which systems are being used and what risks this poses for data security, compliance, and operational continuity.
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According to Sharp, the development aligns with the broader trend in which SMEs are rapidly modernizing their digital infrastructure. Companies that have timely renewed their cloud and application landscape are now benefiting from the ability to apply AI at scale. Organizations that have not yet done this face an increasing risk of technological and security lag.
