AI helps Dutch companies grow, new research finds
A new study shows AI's impact on Dutch companies, which, by adopting it are investing more and unlocking more value.
Published on November 6, 2025
Mauro swapped Sardinia for Eindhoven and has been an IO+ editor for 3 years. As a GREEN+ expert, he covers the energy transition with data-driven stories.
To some, a hype bubble, to others, a horizontal revolution set to disrupt society in all aspects., AI is the trend of the moment. Yet it is more than just a trend, as it is already making its mark. Dutch companies that are embracing AI are often larger, file more patent applications, and invest more in information and communication technologies (ICT). What is more, primary estimates suggest they have a higher added value. Further research will be needed to confirm this claim.
These conclusions are based on one of the latest studies conducted by the Dutch Statistics Institute (CBS). The research investigated the use of AI in Dutch companies. Firms with fewer than 10 employees were not included in the analysis, which uses data from the past few years.
Behind the Figures
In Behind the Figures, we take a deep dive into numbers. Using charts and graphs, we break down figures and provide context to help you make more sense of them.
Who is adopting AI?
AI adoption is happening across different sized companies. Among the organizations that adopted the technology, 65% are small businesses (10-50 employees). About a quarter of them had between 50 and 250 workers, with the remaining share being represented by larger organizations.
Interestingly, companies are adopting multiple AI technologies simultaneously. And here again, small companies are in the lead. Over half of the firms using four AI-based technologies have fewer than 50 employees.
CBS also reveals figures on companies that didn’t use AI in 2024. 81% of them are small ones. Only 3% of this sample consists of organizations with over 250 employees. The remaining quota (16%) is represented by medium-sized companies.
AI adoption drives investments
Within the sample using AI in their workflows, 79% of them invested in ICT. The quota is lower for those who don’t use the technology, 70%. The CBS analysis finds that organizations using AI tend to spend more on necessary tools, such as hardware and cloud infrastructure.
Only 5% of all the companies surveyed spend over than €200 million in ICT. Yet, the adoption of AI technologies also drives expenditures. Around 14% of the companies using AI allocate over €200 million in ICT. Conversely, only 4% of those not using AI pass this spending threshold. Moreover, a fifth of the firms that use four or more AI technologies spent over €200 million.
AI helps unlock more added value
Although it is only a preliminary estimate, CBS research suggests that companies using AI in 2023 were more likely to generate a higher added value. A company’s added value is the extra worth a firm generates in its products and services, beyond the costs of materials and inputs. In other words, it is the difference between what an organization spends to create a product or offer a service and what it can charge for it. This value is generated through processes such as production, marketing, and innovation.
According to the statistics office analysis, over half of the companies using AI generated an added value of at least €10 million. 9% of them produced over €100 million. Conversely, only 39% of the organizations that didn’t adopt AI generated over €10 million in added value.
A wider use of AI, according to research, is more likely to result in higher added value. For example, 65% of the organizations that adopted three AI technologies produced at least €10 million in added value. Furthermore, about a fifth of the companies in this sample had added value exceeding €100 million, as shown in the graph below.
Companies using AI apply for patents more frequently
Intellectual property (IP) is a valuable asset for every company. Among IP, there are also patents. CBS analysts found that companies that used AI in 2021 are more likely to be part of an enterprise group that applied for patents.
Similarly to what has been found out regarding added value for companies that use multiple AI tech, firms that adopted three AI tools are more likely to have applied for patents.
With AI adoption by Dutch companies projected to surge in the coming years. Particularly, growth is underpinned by a surge in AI integration, with the generative AI sector projected to grow at a compound average growth rate (CAGR) of 46.47% from 2024 to 2030, reaching an estimated market volume of $7.11 billion by 2030.
Previous research by ING Bank showed that the Dutch economy can benefit more from AI adoption than its neighbours. Given its strong digital infrastructure and innovation capabilities, the Netherlands can benefit from AI adoption. While AI promises to boost productivity, it may not alleviate labor shortages immediately, as increased economic growth could fuel higher labor demand. Accordingly, we can expect a greater impact of AI.