According to a 2026 survey by GKI Gazdaságkutató Zrt., the proportion of Hungarian companies using artificial intelligence increased by 21 percentage points year‑on‑year, the research institute told MTI.
Key findings of the survey
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By company size: AI use is most common among small companies, with nearly two‑thirds employing AI‑based software or applications. Mid‑sized and large firms report a 52 percent adoption rate, while microenterprises stand at 48 percent.
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By sector: AI adoption rose sharply in both industry and construction. In the industrial sector the share of users climbed from 29 percent in 2025 to 57 percent in 2026; in construction it increased from 19 percent to 52 percent.
Perceived market impact
Despite the rising adoption, companies reported a more restrained assessment of AI’s market effects. In 2025 nine percent of firms said they perceived no market impact from AI at all; that share rose to 19 percent in 2026. Most respondents in both years described the impact as moderate, and the share reporting a significant or fully transformative market effect remained low.
Sector differences in impact perception
- In industry, the share of firms perceiving a significant market impact fell from 21 percent to 12 percent.
- In construction the decline was from 25 percent to 7 percent.
Assessment and caution
GKI concludes that the 2026 results suggest a break in the earlier pattern where service and trade companies led in AI adoption and felt stronger market effects. Industrial and construction companies have caught up materially in adoption, but they generally report more moderate market‑transforming effects.
The research institute also cautions that comparing only two years of data is insufficient to establish a long‑term trend.
(MTI)
