ZAGREB, 15 July (Hina) – Most businesses in Croatia are familiar with artificial intelligence (AI), but few are actively using it, according to the country’s first national survey on AI in the economy. 

The findings underscore the need for greater investment and skills development to keep pace with global trends.

Conducted by the HUP-ICT Association and the HUP Coordination for AI, in cooperation with Prizma CPI, the survey covered 659 companies. It found that 80% of respondents are aware of AI, and 45% view it positively. However, only 45% currently use it, mostly large firms, while 55% do not, citing barriers such as lack of expertise, limited investment, and unclear regulation, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

More than half of businesses associate AI with usefulness and see it as a business opportunity, yet almost half anticipate job losses in the next five to ten years due to its adoption. Only 11% believe it will create more jobs.

Experts at the survey presentation stressed the importance of education, especially training teachers, as a key to wider AI implementation. Hrvoje Balen and Siniša Đuranović highlighted existing efforts at Croatian Telecom and Infobip, where AI skills are already being developed and integrated into business processes.

The findings also showed a widespread lack of knowledge about AI regulation. Seventy-one per cent of respondents were unaware of the EU AI Act, and many companies found Croatia’s legal framework unclear. Only 4% of businesses were satisfied with state support for AI, while 40% expressed dissatisfaction.

Representatives from HUP called on the government to invest more in education and support for AI, warning that Croatia risks falling behind if action is not taken. HUP President Irena Weber emphasised that AI should not be viewed as a threat to jobs but as an opportunity to boost innovation, productivity, and economic value across sectors, including ICT, finance, healthcare, retail, tourism, and marketing.