Europe’s current focus on simplification reflects a broader effort to strengthen competitiveness. In the context of AI, however, simplification is only a means to a larger goal: enabling businesses to adopt these technologies at scale. It is that adoption, across sectors and across companies of all sizes, that will determine Europe’s economic outcomes.
The freshly-launched EU Enterprise AI Adoption Agenda sets out a framework for achieving this. To complement it, BSA is highlighting perspectives from across the enterprise software industry to provide practical insights into how adoption is playing out. These voices underscore a consistent message: while AI capabilities are advancing quickly, broader uptake depends on clear, workable conditions that support deployment in real-world settings.
Hear directly from industry leaders on what it will take to accelerate AI uptake in Europe:
Tommy Ross – Head of Global Public Policy, Alteryx
In Alteryx’s experience working with businesses of all sizes to help them harness AI, we’ve found that one of the biggest barriers to adoption is a lack of confidence in the quality and governance of their data. To enable adoption of AI that delivers meaningful business outcomes, companies need to invest in ensuring that data is accessible, structured, and prepared for use in ways that maximize AI’s potential.
Robust data governance is also needed to build trust in AI. The EU can help guide these actions by emphasizing the importance of the data layer in all relevant AI guidance, standards, and best practices, and by leading by example through smart investments in the quality and governance of its own data.
Poonam Singh – Head of Corporate Legal and Government Affairs, Asana
AI is the biggest policy topic of the decade. For Europe to lead in this generational transition to an AI-powered future, the Commission should move beyond regulation and focus on accelerating AI and cloud adoption across Member States. This includes building an AI-ready workforce and providing the infrastructure needed to advance these technologies safely.
Regions and countries that promote secure AI adoption will see the greatest economic benefits and deliver meaningful gains in competitiveness. At Asana, we are building a future where humans and AI work in true partnership, aligning around shared goals and unlocking the full potential of teams. The companies that master this collaboration will define the next decade of business. To ensure growth and prosperity, the EU should advance practical frameworks and programs that enable companies to develop and deploy this technology.
By partnering with industry to better understand this fast-moving technology, the Commission can help ensure both security and prosperity for the EU.
Clémence Arto – Director, Government Affairs and Public Policy, EMEA, Autodesk
If you have ever done construction or renovation work in your home, you know it can be a rocky road. Yet, Europe is in dire need of a massive renovation of its homes, schools, roads, bridges… We need the architecture, engineering, and construction sector to be at the top of its game.
At Autodesk, we want to make life easier by automating tasks, improving collaboration, and optimizing choices with the best insights. We believe AI can support this shift and allow professionals to focus on creating more affordable and sustainable buildings and infrastructure, at scale. Deploying AI in these industries will drive efficiency, enhance creativity, and support more outcomes.
The EU is equipped to seize this opportunity. It can accelerate AI deployment by supporting the adoption of digital tools, fostering data-sharing frameworks, and investing in digital skills development for both students and the existing workforce. Autodesk stands ready to collaborate to make this happen.
Valentino Grassi – Manager, EU Government Relations, Bentley Systems
The world needs better, more resilient infrastructure. AI can enhance the productivity of engineers and other infrastructure professionals, helping them make faster, more informed decisions to meet this critical demand.
By automating routine tasks and generating new insights, AI maximizes engineers’ expertise and impact, from initial design through infrastructure operations. Bentley Systems, as the infrastructure engineering software company, is proud to spearhead efforts to make AI effective and trustworthy for our industry.
We support the European Union’s intention to maintain balanced guardrails for the development and deployment of AI tools, alongside an ambitious strategy to foster adoption. Going forward, it is crucial to recognize the nuanced role of AI tools in infrastructure, particularly those designed to support, rather than replace, human decision-making in technical and design contexts. This approach will help accelerate investment in energy systems, transportation networks, and resilient infrastructure.
Matteo Quattrocchi – Head of EMEA AI Policy, Cisco
European AI ambitions should rest on three pillars. First, invest in the backbone: robust AI infrastructure and connectivity. These form the foundation of a European AI Continent. If the EU wants to lead rather than follow, computing and inference investments must be matched with world-class connectivity.
Second, design security from the start. As Europe shapes its AI landscape, this is the moment to embed security and resilience at every layer of the AI stack— from infrastructure to application. Securing AI development and deployment will ensure that trust can take root and that Europeans can safely benefit from it.
Finally, unleash Europe’s human potential. As with many technologies, the real competitive edge comes from people. This means equipping Europeans with the skills to create, innovate, and harness AI. Skilling and reskilling are central to the European AI story.
With these three pillars, Europe can turn ambition into a secure, inclusive, and inspiring AI future.
Petra Arts – Director, Public Policy, Europe, Cloudflare
To harness the power of AI, Europe will need to bring computation and AI inference closer to the end user through distributed cloud infrastructure. Combined with robust connectivity, these edge networks enable low-latency, real-time services for Europe’s digital economy.
To accelerate deployment, we believe the EU should prioritize interoperability and open standards in its policy frameworks. By establishing global standards for AI governance and avoiding overly prescriptive rules, Europe can attract R&D investment and maintain competitive, open markets.
There is also a need for strong cybersecurity, both within AI systems and to protect against AI-driven risks. The EU can support this by emphasizing cybersecurity protections and encouraging the use of security tools when managing AI applications.
Jean-Marc Leclerc – Head of Government Affairs EMEA – Director Public Policy, Europe, Cloudflare
AI can transform economies and public services, delivering better outcomes for citizens. In Europe, AI adoption is entering a pivotal phase. At IBM, we see organizations across the continent beginning to realize real returns, alongside an appetite to deploy impactful, trusted AI across industries.
However, progress remains uneven. Compliance complexity and legal uncertainty risk slowing early adoption, which is critical to building compelling use cases. The EU has a unique opportunity to accelerate uptake by fostering open ecosystems that give organizations choice and control, while continuing to mitigate risk through strong governance.
Laurent Monjole – Vice-President, EMEA Government Affairs, Salesforce
At Salesforce, we welcome Europe’s focus on AI adoption across strategic verticals and the public sector, as outlined in the European Commission’s Apply AI Strategy.
We believe AI, particularly agentic AI, will help organizations of all sizes boost productivity and efficiency, enhancing Europe’s competitiveness and meeting its digital-transformation goals.
In the public sector, Salesforce encourages Member States to prioritize AI-first approaches to modernize their public administration and improve interactions with citizens. Agentic AI also presents a significant opportunity for SMEs, the backbone of the EU’s economy, to innovate and compete more effectively. As more adoption grows, these businesses will need access to skills, guidance, and infrastructure to fully realize the benefits.
Europe is uniquely positioned to lead this era of ethical, trustworthy digital transformation, where AI drives sustainable growth and sets a global standard for human-centered innovation.
Deann Evans – Managing Director, EMEA, Shopify
AI is one of the most powerful equalizers for small businesses. Shopify builds AI tools to make entrepreneurship simpler and more accessible, putting enterprise-grade technology into the hands of every merchant.
Across Europe, entrepreneurs are already using AI to reach new customers, personalize experiences, and grow their businesses. But for the EU to remain globally competitive, more needs to be done to ensure it can innovate with confidence.
That means reducing regulatory burdens, investing in digital and AI skills, and providing clear, proportionate rules that work for businesses of all sizes. AI can empower European entrepreneurs to do more with less effort, unlocking creativity and growth across the region.
Bharat Mistry – Director, Product Management, Trend Micro
AI adoption is a game-changer. It is not only about automation, but also about augmenting human capability, particularly in cybersecurity, where speed and precision are critical. It also enables a shift from reactive defense to more predictive and resilient security models.
To accelerate progress, the EU should support harmonized frameworks that balance innovation with accountability and investment in secure, scalable AI infrastructure. Our concern is the gap between regulation and real-world deployment. Without clear standards, there is a risk of bias, reduced transparency, and erosion of trust. AI must be explainable, ethical, and secure by design. That is not a nice-to-have, and it is non-negotiable.
At Trend Micro, we see AI as both an enabler and a risk amplifier. That is why we’re embedding security into every layer of the AI stack, from model access and data integrity to infrastructure posture and agentic systems. Our mission is clear: “Innovate Boldly, Secure Responsibly.”
Matthias Göhler – CTO EMEA, Zendesk
At Zendesk, we see AI adoption in Europe as a tremendous opportunity to transform how organizations serve both customers and employees. The technology is no longer experimental: our research shows that 93% of IT leaders already use AI regularly in their organizations. Our Resolution Platform powers billions of AI-driven interactions every year, freeing people from repetitive tasks and allowing them to focus on complex, high-value work.
What excites me most is the chance to combine Europe’s strengths, such as deep industrial expertise, world-class research, and high standards for trust and security, with the scale and efficiency that AI can deliver.
To accelerate progress, the EU should foster a clear and innovation-friendly regulatory environment, paired with investment in digital skills. We believe in responsible AI: governance, transparency, and human oversight must remain central. With the right balance, AI can become a powerful engine of growth for Europe.