The use of artificial intelligence by Greek companies has increased significantly, although investment in the sector remains at relatively low levels. However, despite this contradiction, the majority of entrepreneurs believe that AI will be a key driver of productivity and efficiency in the coming years.
These findings are drawn from the EY Greece entrepreneurship survey, the EY Entrepreneurship Barometer Greece 2026. The survey was conducted for the second consecutive year, between February 2 and March 9, 2026, with the participation of 167 entrepreneurs.
Organizational Innovation Is a Priority
Greek entrepreneurs recognize the important role of innovation; however, unlike the average across all countries participating in the survey, they prioritize organizational innovation (59%), choosing to improve the way they operate before investing more aggressively in processes related to production, distribution, or financial management.
Regarding the use of digital technologies, the largest increase was recorded in solutions that enhance decision-making and efficiency, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning (83%, up from 65% last year) and data analytics (71%). At the same time, particular emphasis is also placed on infrastructure that ensures resilience, such as cybersecurity and cloud computing.
Investments in AI remain modest
However, despite increased usage, investments in artificial intelligence and other digital technologies remain limited. Specifically, over the past three years, the majority have invested up to €25,000 (39%) or nothing at all (20%) in AI.
There has, however, been an increase of eight percentage points in the number of respondents who reported investing between €100,001 and €250,000 (8%, up from 5% in 2025) and more than €250,000 (10%, up from 5% in 2025), which is particularly encouraging. Consequently, the overall picture has improved compared to 2025, as well as compared to the average of the countries in the sample.
Strong Expectations
At the same time, three out of four business owners in Greece (75%)—and an even higher proportion at larger companies (85%) in companies (with a turnover of more than €10 million) believe that Artificial Intelligence will contribute significantly to enhancing business operations and productivity over the next three years.
This assessment aligns with the priority they place on enhancing their organizational effectiveness through innovation over the next twelve months. They also expect it to improve the quality and speed of decision-making (60%).
Regarding the level of adoption, according to the survey data, Greek companies are integrating AI to a greater extent than the average among the countries participating in the survey, primarily in data analysis, personal development, and the optimization of marketing activities, while its use remains limited to critical functions such as financial management, security and risk management, and supply chain optimization.
Furthermore, Greek business owners appear to have reaped benefits from the implementation of digital technologies over the past three years to a greater extent than the average for the countries in the sample, particularly in terms of increased efficiency and productivity, the promotion of innovation, and the speed of technology adoption, while the impact on areas such as a better understanding of customers remains limited.
Key concerns include data protection and cost
On the other hand, however, concerns surrounding the use of digital technologies persist, with the main ones relating to data protection risks, the lack of clear standards for the use of AI, the rising costs of implementation and maintenance, and the challenges of training employees.