The integration of Artificial Intelligence continues to make steady progress within the Spanish business landscape. Although there’s a common perception that companies in Spain, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), tend to be slow in adopting innovation and digitalization, the data tells a different story: more than half (56%) of SMEs already use AI tools in their daily operations. This is reflected in the ‘AI Action Summit Research’ report, conducted by Sage in collaboration with consulting firm Strand Partners, based on surveys of over 1,000 Spanish SMEs. The findings present an optimistic outlook, albeit one filled with challenges, dismantling the notion that this technology is reserved solely for large corporations.
Spanish SMEs primarily use AI for analyzing large volumes of data (32%), customer service frontline (34%), and in human resources processes (47%), particularly in talent search and employee training. Their use of technology demonstrates a practical approach: AI is applied in areas that generate efficiency and immediate benefits.
In fact, thanks to automation of routine tasks (34%), accelerating processes (32%), and improving customer retention (35%), the vast majority of companies acknowledge a significant increase in their productivity (93%). Additionally, almost all firms that have integrated this technology (96%) believe they are now better prepared to expand into new markets and explore innovative business avenues.
Highlighted sectors with the highest adoption levels include those requiring high interoperability and complex processes, such as professional services, retail, distribution and logistics, and industrial manufacturing.
Regulatory complexity, talent shortages, and high costs are barriers for Spanish SMEs adopting AI solutions
Despite high adoption rates, a large number of businesses have yet to take the plunge. While 23% of SMEs are actively exploring AI adoption, the reality is that 44% of Spanish companies have not yet implemented this technology. According to Sage’s study, barriers hindering widespread adoption include unclear and complex regulations (51%), a lack of specialized talent (48%), and high implementation costs (30%).
The report also uncovers some reluctance to adopt AI in business processes, with 8% of companies stating that they do not plan to incorporate it. This hesitancy is rooted in concerns over data privacy and security, ethical considerations, and a lack of skills and knowledge among workers.
“Currently, AI is a technology that businesses cannot afford to ignore, to the point that avoiding adoption results in a loss of competitiveness and talent. Data shows that AI adoption in Spain is better than we expected, but there remains a need to raise awareness about its real benefits for businesses. That’s why Sage urges public agencies and private companies to continue educating about both its advantages and regulatory frameworks, to build trust and establish clear application models that harness AI’s full potential for SMEs,” states José Luis Martín Zabala, Managing Director of Sage Iberia.
Sage develops its own AI to deliver tangible benefits to Spanish SMEs
Recognizing the need for SMEs to access solutions that provide tangible operational efficiencies, Sage develops AI solutions ethically, transparently, and reliably, aimed at amplifying human capacity rather than replacing it.
Currently, the company trains over 40,000 models daily, and in the past year, has performed more than 3.2 billion AI predictions related to clients’ financial health. Its AI solutions, delivered through the Sage Copilot interface, are integrated into 14 products, operate in 20 countries, and handle smart VAT in 7 languages, processing 45 million documents annually.
Sage offers AI capabilities across many of its products, including Sage Active (serving over 12,000 clients across Spain, France, and Germany), Sage Sales Management—which enables real-time sales data processing and voice agent integration—and Sage 50, which will soon feature Sage Copilot’s first mobile app, built on AI, for business financial and operational management.
Spain becomes Sage’s leading global hub for AI research and development
Sage champions an ethical and reliable vision of AI applied to business, leading the market for AI-enabled enterprise software in Spain. In fact, the country has become Sage’s primary global R&D Center for AI, with significant software engineering teams based in Madrid and Barcelona. “We are an attractive country and capable of attracting talent in AI, both nationally and internationally. Currently, our hub in Barcelona employs over 400 highly qualified AI professionals,” says Albert Sampietro, VP of Accounting Engineering at Sage.
These innovative developments allow Sage’s clients to benefit from intelligent and efficient management of unpaid invoices, error detection in invoices and VAT, real-time balance and report analysis, as well as structured data entry and automatic processing of purchase invoices. Thanks to AI functions, SMEs are transforming their workflows—from the traditional ‘month-end closing,’ which concentrated payments and accounting closures just before the deadline, to continuous, real-time accounting that enables companies to make strategic decisions with tangible impacts on their operations.
“AI is no longer a dream — it’s a reality for SMEs working with Sage. We’ve spent years developing an ethical AI, interacting transparently with customers so they retain control, and it’s the user who ultimately determines the scope of its use. Moreover, it’s accessible, genuine AI that makes a real impact on business. Thanks to this tangible and practical approach, our customers are very satisfied with the benefits, changing how they work by adopting continuous accounting through Sage Copilot, integrated across all our solutions, allowing real-time insights into their company’s performance each day,” concludes Albert Sampietro, VP of Accounting Engineering at Sage.