Czech companies are falling behind their foreign counterparts in the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). While 75% of companies globally rely on AI to enhance productivity, only 39% of Czech companies do the same. These findings come from the Digital Trust Insights Survey conducted by consulting firm PwC, which involved nearly 4,000 managers in 70 countries.

One significant disparity is in the use of AI for cyber defense. Only 29% of Czech businesses plan to use AI for this purpose in the next year, in contrast to 69% worldwide.

Petr Špiřík, Partner at PwC for Cybersecurity, notes that there is greater caution among Czech companies when it comes to AI adoption. They carefully consider both the advantages and disadvantages of AI, as indicated by the survey results. Špiřík also points out that in the Czech Republic, one-third of the respondents believe that AI could lead to catastrophic cyberattacks, while this concern is shared by half of respondents globally.

Lukáš Benzl, Chairman of the Czech Association of Artificial Intelligence, conducted surveys showing that around 40% of Czech companies are currently using AI to some extent, with an additional 35% planning to do so. However, these numbers may include individual usage outside of official company processes.

This year could bring changes to these statistics, with tools like generative AI tools gaining popularity. Creative Dock, a company that creates digital products and services on demand, currently uses various AI tools in its processes, including ChatGPT, LLM models, Copilot, image generative models, and proprietary AI tools.

One significant challenge to AI adoption in the Czech Republic is complex and ambiguous legislation surrounding artificial intelligence and its use in various industries. The legal environment is often stricter than in the United States, causing Czech companies to be more cautious about AI implementation. The challenge of navigating AI-related legal regulations was cited by three-quarters of surveyed industrial companies as a significant obstacle this year.

In addition to legal hurdles, high implementation costs also hinder digitization and automation efforts. Nevertheless, experts believe that the Czech business landscape is gradually entering a phase where practical and useful AI tools are being developed and adopted.

Article by Prague Forum