According to the 2026 survey by GKI Gazdaságkutató Zrt., the share of Hungarian companies using artificial intelligence (AI) rose by 21 percentage points within one year among the firms participating in the study. The research institute published the result in a statement provided to MTI.
By firm size: small companies lead in adoption
The survey shows that small companies have the highest adoption rate of AI-based software or applications: nearly two-thirds use the technology. Among medium and large firms, 52 percent use AI, while 48 percent of micro-enterprises reported AI use.
Sectoral shifts: industry and construction catch up
Significant increases occurred by sector: AI use in industrial firms climbed from 29 percent in 2025 to 57 percent in 2026, and in the construction sector it rose from 19 percent to 52 percent. This indicates substantial catch-up by sectors that were previously less AI-intensive.
Perceived market impact is more cautious
Although AI adoption has grown, most companies report only a moderate market impact. In 2025, 9 percent of firms said they perceived no market impact from the technology at all; in 2026 that share rose to 19 percent. The proportion of companies reporting a significant or fully market-transforming impact remains low.
Sectoral breakdowns also shifted: in industry, the share of firms reporting a significant market impact fell from 21 percent to 12 percent, and in construction from 25 percent to 7 percent, even as AI use increased markedly in both sectors.
GKI assessment and caution on trends
GKI Gazdaságkutató Zrt. assessed that the 2026 results appear to break the earlier pattern in which service and trade companies used AI at higher rates and perceived stronger market effects. While industrial and construction firms have substantially closed the adoption gap, these companies report more muted market-transforming effects.
The research institute emphasized that comparing two years of data alone is not sufficient to reliably identify longer-term trends.
Notes
The figures and statements above are drawn from GKI Gazdaságkutató Zrt.'s 2026 survey. The cover image used in the original release is illustrative (Getty Images).
