The use of artificial intelligence (AI) among Hungarian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) began slowly compared with the rest of the EU, but experts say adoption has picked up markedly. Barabás Tamás, co-chair of the Vállalkozók és Munkáltatók Országos Szövetsége (VOSZ), told our paper: “Magyarországon az EU-hoz képest nagyon lassan indult be az AI használata, ez azonban mára jelentősen megugrott.”
Referring to a Microsoft survey, Barabás noted that Hungarians now rank among the world’s top 20 in AI readiness and application. He also estimated that 40–50 percent of all SMEs are consciously using artificial intelligence today.
What are companies using AI for?
The most common applications are marketing and content production, but many firms also already use AI for administrative and customer service tasks. Most companies turn to popular large language models, primarily ChatGPT, while image-generation and translation programs are increasingly in use.
Kott Ferenc, head of the Digitalization College at the Magyar Kereskedelmi és Iparkamara (MKIK), replied that AI adoption typically started where there was already digital activity and openness. Kott said the sector is still in a phase of familiarization and seeking the best approaches, but actual usage rates may be higher than those shown in official statistics.
Which tools are most popular?
MKIK’s expert pointed to generative AI tools as the most popular. ChatGPT is widely used for drafting emails and offers, writing marketing copy, and even for market research and business planning. For more specialized graphic tasks many use Canva AI. Google’s built-in functions and translation tools such as DeepL are also popular.
Kott highlighted Perplexity AI’s market analyses and tools from Anthropic that are popular among developer firms. He added that corporate administrative processes and enterprise resource management are increasingly affected by AI, and any area involving direct customer service can gain significantly from voice-based AI systems.
Unexploited opportunities
Both experts stressed that although adoption is growing, Hungarian entrepreneurs today exploit only a limited slice of what AI can offer. Barabás said there are numerous areas with plenty of room for development and deeper, strategic application, but most firms currently use AI for a narrow set of basic tasks.
Conclusion
AI use among Hungarian SMEs has accelerated and a range of tools are now widely accessible. Nevertheless, experts believe substantial potential remains untapped; realizing it will require broader, more strategic application of AI and rethinking company processes.
