McKinsey study: In a regional context, AI can unlock at least €280 billion

Romania has the lowest AI adoption among companies in Central Europe: only 5%

McKinsey & Company publishes the new study Central Europe’s AI Opportunity, which analyzes the economic potential of artificial intelligence in Central Europe. According to the study, AI can unlock at least €280 billion in economic value in the region, equivalent to at least 6% of Central Europe’s total net turnover.

However, the adoption of AI at the level of companies in the region lags behind Western Europe. In Central Europe, only 12% of companies have adopted AI on an organizational scale, compared to 28% in Western Europe. In addition, about 60% of the region’s economy is in sectors where AI scaling is more difficult, such as manufacturing, construction, consumer goods and retail, energy, logistics, and financial services.

For Romania, the study highlights one of the greatest opportunities for recovery in the region. Personal adoption of AI is 16%, while adoption on an organisational scale is only 5% – the lowest level among the countries analysed. As AI solutions become more mature and easier to integrate, companies in Romania can move forward quickly if they choose the right areas and build the necessary foundations for scaling.

Globally, 88% of companies already use AI in at least one function, but 94% have not achieved a significant operational profit (EBIT) impact, and only 6% have reached an organization-wide AI implementation.

The study shows that a large number of isolated pilot projects rarely change a company’s overall performance, and the competitive advantage in AI is gained by integrating it into workflows. Companies that achieve results follow three directions: they identify a narrow set of opportunities, build AI solutions integrated directly into real workflows and linked to measurable results, and redesign the organization around six pillars – strategy, talent, operating model, technology, data and change management.

Most of the value is in the sectors that define the region’s economy. The study estimates the economic impact of AI at 5-13% of turnover in advanced manufacturing, 5-14% for consumer goods and retail, 4-8% in engineering and construction, and up to 21-61% in technology.

For companies in Romania, concrete opportunities can arise in customer operations, software development, finance, risk, back-office, manufacturing, planning and supply chains. In these areas, AI can help increase productivity, reduce processing times, improve decisions, and create a better customer experience.

The stakes increase as technology advances. By the end of 2025, AI had come to match or exceed human performance in most of the competencies assessed, from routine analysis to complex scientific questions. An increasing share of structured work – in finance, legal, procurement, or customer relations – can be taken over by AI, so people can focus on decision-making, judgment, and situations that are out of the box.

The pace of AI progress has accelerated about tenfold since ChatGPT’s launch in 2022 and is now doubling roughly every 12 months — faster than companies’ planning cycles, so those who procrastinate risk a gap not only technologically but also in skills and talent.

About the study

Central Europe’s AI opportunity looks at the potential of AI in Central Europe – including Romania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Hungary. The study identifies the biggest sectoral opportunities, compares adoption levels and describes the practical steps through which companies can move from pilot projects to scaled impact. Detalii aici: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/capturing-central-europes-ai-opportunit

About QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey

QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, is McKinsey’s global artificial intelligence division. It combines strategy, data science, engineering, technology, and organizational transformation to help companies build, deploy, and scale AI solutions with measurable business impact.

About McKinsey & Company

McKinsey & Company is a global strategic management consulting firm dedicated to helping organizations create change that matters. In more than 130 cities and 65 countries, McKinsey teams help clients in the private, public and social sectors develop bold strategies and transform the way they work.