June 30, 2026. Europe’s largest companies are showing the first signs of narrowing the AI gap with North America. At the same time, the growing disparity between large and smaller companies threatens to slow European progress right back down. German companies are treading water. This is evident from the first edition of the Accenture AI Progress Barometer.
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AI readiness describes the core capabilities companies need to derive the greatest possible benefit from the use of artificial intelligence. These include, in particular, high-quality and easily accessible data, qualified employees, and appropriate processes.
The Accenture AI Progress Barometer measures the AI readiness of approximately 3,000 of the world’s largest companies every six months. Each organization is benchmarked against comparable companies across industries and regions. The assessment is based on a scale from 0 to 100, with 100 representing the maximum achievable score and indicating the highest level of AI readiness.
According to the barometer, European companies have increased their AI capabilities by an average of 1.6 points over the past six months. In contrast, the increase in North America was 1.1 points. Future editions of the barometer will reveal whether this trend continues. Overall, North American companies remain in the lead: they score an average of 48.9 out of 100 points, while European companies score 43.1 points.
The data also reveals a growing gap within Europe. Large European companies (with annual revenue exceeding $10 billion) score 47.4 points, just 2.1 points behind their North American counterparts (49.5 points). Smaller European companies (with annual revenue exceeding $500 million), on the other hand, lag significantly behind comparable North American firms by a margin of 7.6 points (40.5 vs. 48.1). This pronounced “long tail” could weigh on Europe’s competitiveness in the long term.
Overall, this gap is significantly larger in Europe than in North America. This points to the risk that smaller companies, in particular, could miss out on the next wave of AI-driven growth and productivity gains if they do not accelerate their investments in the capabilities needed to scale AI. Mauro Macchi, CEO for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at Accenture, says:
“Europe is clearly gaining momentum in the area of AI—driven primarily by the largest companies. These companies have recognized that AI can only create value quickly and comprehensively if the technology is accompanied by a holistic transformation of the business, rather than being implemented in isolated pockets. This includes adapting operating models, redesigning work processes, expanding data and technology infrastructure, and—crucially—strong leadership engagement and effective governance and change management. How quickly companies move toward implementation will determine Europe’s future competitiveness.”
The pace of development also varies significantly across countries and industries. Companies in France (+5 to 43.1), the United Kingdom (+4.8 to 44.5), and Spain (+4.6 to 39.9) are making the most progress in AI readiness.
While Europe has set out on a race to catch up in AI, Germany risks being left further behind. According to the figures, German companies tend to remain stagnant and were unable to improve their score of 41.2 points—particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are so crucial to Germany as a business location. The study makes it clear: Those who now go beyond pilot projects and consistently embed AI into their business models, processes, and organizational structures will not only determine their own AI readiness but also play a key role in shaping how competitive Germany will be as a business location over the next decade.
In 10 of the 18 industries surveyed, overall AI readiness has increased. Companies in the
Insurance companies lead the industry ranking, not least due to significant progress in transforming processes and modernizing their data infrastructure.
Tobias Regenfuß, head of “Digital Core”—cloud platforms, data, and AI at Accenture in Central and Eastern Europe, adds:
“The results show a clear transition from the experimental phase to implementation on a larger scale. More and more European companies are using AI to fundamentally redesign their business processes. Insurers, for example, are not only using AI to accelerate existing workflows but are completely redesigning them—based on agent-based AI: Standardized claims can be automated from assessment through payment, while complex cases are specifically routed to specialists. This requires clean, integrated, and accessible data, as well as a suitably qualified workforce.”
The Accenture AI Progress Barometer tracks how companies are expanding their capabilities to scale AI and realize the resulting value. Data is collected semiannually to measure progress. The focus is on changes over time. In total, approximately 3,000 of the world’s largest companies are analyzed.
The results are aggregated by region and industry to ensure comparability. The first edition uses the second half of 2025 as a baseline and tracks developments through the first half of 2026. Changes in the score reflect how companies’ rankings shift relative to their global competitors.
The assessment is based on four key dimensions:
The Barometer combines data from two proprietary Accenture surveys: the AI Index (an external assessment of companies’ scalability) and Pulse of Change (a CXO survey conducted several times a year).
Accenture helps leading organizations worldwide build a digital core and create value through artificial intelligence at every level. We see ourselves as the transformation partner of choice for our clients, aim to play a leading role in the secure and widespread adoption of AI, and strive to be the employer with the highest level of customer focus and AI expertise worldwide. We combine the in-depth process knowledge and extensive industry expertise of our approximately 799,000 employees with our own resources and platforms, as well as strong partnerships within our ecosystem. This enables us to deliver holistic solutions and measurable results at scale. Our capabilities span several Reinvention Services: Cybersecurity, Digital Core, Finance, Industry & Enterprise, Song, Supply Chain & Engineering, and Talent, with proven excellence in the areas of AI & Data, Industry & Process, and Technology. We serve approximately 9,000 clients and generated revenue of approximately $70 billion in fiscal year 2025. Visit us at accenture.com.
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