Ukrainian companies are increasingly using AI technologies to improve operational efficiency and adapt to changes, according to the results of a survey by the National Bank of Ukraine. In particular, the share of enterprises that are already practically using AI has increased from 13,1% to 23,4% over the year.
Ukrainian companies are increasingly using AI technologies to improve operational efficiency and adapt to changes, according to the results of a survey by the National Bank of Ukraine. In particular, the share of enterprises that are already practically using AI has increased from 13,1% to 23,4% over the year.
The National Bank of Ukraine has added a block of questions on the implementation of artificial intelligence to its quarterly business surveys to examine how AI helps companies increase efficiency and adapt to change. The study was conducted in two waves (in May 2025 and August 2026) and covered 649 and 658 enterprises of various industries from 21 regions of Ukraine (outside the occupation zone), respectively. The collected data reflect the assessments of top managers themselves, and not the official position of the NBU.
Ukraine has seen a rapid growth in business interest in artificial intelligence: the share of enterprises that are already practically using AI has increased from 13,1% to 23,4%, and another 29,8% of companies are currently considering such an opportunity (versus 19,9% previously). Along with this, there has been a real leap in automation — the share of businesses that have already achieved or expect a high level of automation thanks to AI has shown a record increase from 2,0% to 46,8%.
The main driver of this transformation is large businesses, which are implementing new technologies twice as actively as small and medium-sized enterprises, reaching 33,2% of active users.
The foreign trade factor also turned out to be an important factor: the highest level of AI use is observed among companies that carry out both export and import operations, where the indicator increased by 1.9 times. At the same time, the sectoral distribution remains heterogeneous — AI is integrated most quickly in construction and the processing industry, while the agricultural sector, mining and energy still demonstrate a high share of those who do not plan to use these tools at all.
The main motivation for managers is to reduce costs and optimize products or processes. The most common direction remains generative AI, which is used mainly for administrative and financial functions.
The main barriers entrepreneurs cite in moving from interest to implementation include a lack of trained staff, lack of ready-made solutions, and the need for expert support. In addition, 34% of respondents expressed concerns about data security and privacy.
The dynamics of figures in a regional context are also significantly influenced by the security factor, proximity to a combat zone, and business relocation.
