The adoption of artificial intelligence in Poland is growing rapidly. According to the latest report, “Unlocking Poland’s AI Potential 2026”, prepared by independent research firm Strand Partners on behalf of Amazon Web Services (AWS), 48% of Polish companies are already using AI, compared with 34% a year earlier. This represents a 41% year-on-year increase and the second-best result in Europe. The findings of the report were published on 6 May 2026 during the AWS Summit in Warsaw.
The study was prepared in reference to the European Commission’s Digital Decade programme, which assumes that by 2030 at least 75% of EU enterprises should use AI, cloud computing or big data analytics. If Poland maintains its current growth rate, it has a chance to reach this target. However, this year’s edition of the report shows that merely implementing AI is only the beginning. The real challenge is moving from basic use of artificial intelligence to advanced, transformational applications.
“The pace of artificial intelligence adoption in Poland is impressive — the second-fastest growth in Europe. The key now is to ensure that this momentum translates into a real competitive advantage for Polish companies on global markets. Polish businesses are clearly saying what they need: access to the best AI tools, the ability to scale quickly and the freedom to choose the right technologies. That is why we are investing not only in infrastructure, but above all in skills development, because it is people who determine whether AI delivers real business value,” emphasises Andrzej Horawa, General Manager of Amazon Web Services in Poland.
Key Findings of the Report
Rapid adoption growth, but limited sophistication. AI has already been implemented by 48% of Polish companies, but only 16% of them use the most advanced use cases — below the European average of 22%. At the current pace of progress, it would take around five years for half of Polish companies to reach an advanced level of implementation.
Cloud is growing just as dynamically. Cloud technologies have been adopted by 61% of enterprises, up from 44% a year earlier, which represents a 39% year-on-year increase and provides a foundation for further scaling of AI.
AI as a strategic priority. 69% of companies say AI implementation is a top or high priority, while 72% state that AI plays a key or important role in their overall business strategy.
Startups are leading the way. 72% of Polish startups have implemented AI, and 41% of them are at the most advanced stage. At the same time, 39% of startups say they would consider leaving Europe in order to scale faster, with the United States most often indicated as the preferred destination, at 49%.
Innovation is accelerating. 74% of companies implementing AI have observed an increase in the pace of innovation over the past two years, with AI being the main driver of these changes, at 44%.
Companies Value Choice and Access to Global Technology Providers
Polish companies consistently stress the importance of access to global technology providers, especially in the context of innovation and expansion into international markets. 83% of companies say access to global technology firms is important for AI implementation, 81% believe it is important for innovation, and 84% say it matters for rapid scaling.
Companies report that when choosing AI tools and providers, their priorities are speed, scalability, resilience and security, as well as the ability to make the right technology choices based on customer needs — regardless of where the provider is located. 89% of companies use suppliers from different regions rather than relying mainly on providers from a single country. The most frequently cited reasons for this approach include a broader range of functions and product offerings, at 56%; better scalability, performance or integration options, at 52%; and technological leadership or more advanced capabilities, at 48%.
The data also indicate limited interest in strategies that increase costs without clear results in terms of competitiveness: only 9% of companies would support greater public investment in European AI and cloud infrastructure if it resulted in higher costs for their operations.
Companies Do Not Feel Ready for the Next Wave of AI
Next-generation AI technologies, such as agentic AI and advanced robotics, are beginning to fundamentally change how businesses operate. Yet only 21% of Polish companies say they feel fully or very ready to implement them. Among startups, this figure rises to 79%.
Awareness of agentic AI is growing, with 23% of companies having heard of the technology, but the gap between awareness and deployment remains significant — only 3% of companies report full implementation. Among those already using agentic AI, 45% report faster decision-making, 34% note an increase in operational efficiency, and 24% point to improved scalability.
Main Barriers: Skills, Funding and Regulation
Skills shortage. 46% of companies identify gaps in AI and digital skills as a barrier, while only 18% say they have strong competencies in this area. 82% expect AI-related skills to play an important role in their industry over the next five years.
Financial constraints. 43% of companies do not have a dedicated AI budget, although 81% expect AI spending to rise to 27% of their total IT budget within three years.
Regulatory complexity. Polish companies estimate that 40% of their total technology spending is allocated to regulatory compliance. 79% believe compliance costs have increased over the past three years, while 82% expect them to continue rising.
AI Adoption in Key Industries
The financial services sector leads with 58% AI adoption, ahead of telecommunications at 52% and energy at 43%. In terms of advanced AI applications, the leaders are financial services, at 26%; telecommunications, at 23%; and technology and IT services, at 21%.
47% of Polish SMEs say they have implemented AI technologies, with 15% using advanced scenarios and 32% relying on basic tools.
Cybersecurity as a Key Priority
More than one third of companies, 37%, see cybersecurity and digital resilience as key areas for public investment. In 2025, cybersecurity spending in Poland increased by around 25%, reaching approximately USD 1 billion. 31% of companies strengthened cybersecurity through AI over the past year.
What Is Needed to Unlock Poland’s AI Potential
Asked what matters most for supporting the growth of their business, Polish entrepreneurs point to access to state-of-the-art AI tools and services, at 62%; private investment and venture capital, at 58%; and a skilled AI workforce, at 55%.
59% of companies say government support, such as grants or tax relief, has a strong impact on their decision to implement AI. 53% of Polish companies say they are more likely to adopt AI when the public sector does the same.
About the Study
The report “Unlocking Poland’s AI Potential 2026” was prepared by Strand Partners on behalf of Amazon Web Services. The study is based on two nationwide representative samples: 1,000 business leaders, representative by company size, sector and NUTS 1 region, and 1,000 Polish citizens, representative by age, gender and NUTS 1 region. The research was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the UK Market Research Society and ESOMAR.
Source: CEO.com.pl
