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Only 4.1% of Spanish SMEs use AI: what the barometer says and how to start well
The 2026 IndesIA Barometer, presented on 1 October, measures how many SMEs already use artificial intelligence: 4.1%. The figure has doubled in two years and still leaves 95.9% out. It's no reason to rush or to wait: what's useful is understanding what the minority that is moving does.
Amud team · Reviewed on October 13, 2026 · 3 min read
What the barometer says
The IndesIA association presented its 2026 Barometer of AI adoption in Spanish SMEs on 1 October, produced with Informa from an automated analysis of 131,554 SMEs. The trade press, such as IT User and PYMES Magazine, has covered it this week. The headline numbers:
- 4.1% of SMEs show identifiable AI use. In 2025 it was 2.9% and in the first edition, 2.1%.
- By size: 6.5% of medium-sized firms, 5.1% of small ones and 3.6% of microenterprises.
- Which technology: workflow and decision automation (31.4%) overtakes machine learning (26.5%) for the first time; generative AI stands at 28.5%.
- Where it enters: administration and management (27.7%) and marketing and sales (25.7%) ahead of production (17.8%).
- Where it doesn't: Madrid (6.3%) and Catalonia (4.9%) lead; Castilla y León (2.0%) and Castilla-La Mancha (1.7%) close the table.
- Talent: only 7.7% of AI professionals work in SMEs with fewer than 49 employees and 64.65% of AI job offers go unfilled.
- Results: SMEs using AI grew sales by 7.25%, against 4.34% for those that don't.
One important caveat: according to press coverage, the study focuses on industrial SMEs, and IndesIA speaks of "identified" use, not total real use. It's a good thermometer of the trend, not a census.
What we can take from these figures
Automation arrives before "lab" AI
That workflow and decision automation overtakes machine learning fits what we see: SMEs start by removing manual work in administration, sales and customer service, not with data-science projects. Processes with clear rules and high volume are the ones that pay for themselves first.
The smaller the company, the lower the adoption, and not for lack of will
Specialised talent barely reaches small SMEs. A ten-person company isn't going to hire an AI engineer, nor does it need to. What it needs is a solution built, maintained and measured by someone who knows how, and that its team can use without technical training.
The link with growth is not a promise
That SMEs with AI grew more is a comparison between groups. The companies that adopt tend to be larger and were already doing better. Don't buy AI "to grow": buy recovered hours in one concrete process, which can be measured.
How to start without ending up in endless pilots
As the barometer coverage also recommends, the pattern that works is always the same:
- Pick a process, not a technology. One that is repetitive, high-volume and has a clear outcome. If you're unsure which, see which processes to automate first.
- Define what data it needs. Which documents, emails or records come in and from where. Many projects stall here, not on the technology.
- Decide how you'll measure. Time per task, errors and cost before and after. The ROI calculator helps you estimate the starting point.
- Start with supervision. The system proposes and a person approves anything with consequences; autonomy grows when the data justifies it.
- Expand only what works. The second process is built on what the first one taught you.
What to look at in each type of SME
| Type of SME | Best entry-point process |
|---|---|
| Professional services (accounting and law firms) | Receiving and sorting documents, tracking cases |
| Retail and customer-facing services | Handling enquiries and following up leads over WhatsApp and email |
| Industry and distribution | Orders, delivery notes and invoices, and notices to customers and suppliers |
| Any business with administration | Invoices, reconciliation and chasing payments |
How we do it at Amud
For an SME without a technical team, our job is to build and maintain the system. We start with one process, measure it and only then expand. If the process needs judgement, we set up a digital employee with human oversight; if connecting tools is enough, we do process automation. And if you're unsure where to start, the first step is to look at your process with numbers.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of Spanish SMEs use artificial intelligence?
According to the 2026 IndesIA Barometer, 4.1% of the SMEs analysed show identifiable AI use, up from 2.9% in the previous edition and 2.1% in the first. By size: 6.5% of medium-sized firms, 5.1% of small ones and 3.6% of microenterprises.
Does that mean the remaining 95.9% don't use AI?
Not exactly. The barometer runs an automated analysis of public data and speaks of companies with "no identified use". It's an indicator of visible presence, not a survey of everything each company does, so read it as a trend rather than a census.
Do SMEs that use AI grow faster?
The report records that SMEs using AI grew sales by 7.25%, against 4.34% for those that don't. It's a comparison between groups and doesn't prove AI is the cause, since companies that adopt tend to be larger and more dynamic anyway.
Where should a small SME start?
With one concrete, repetitive, measurable process: administration, handling enquiries or following up customers. Define what data it needs, automate only that process and check whether times, errors or costs fall before expanding.
Do you need to hire an AI specialist?
Not necessarily. The barometer notes that only 7.7% of AI talent works in SMEs with fewer than 49 employees and that 64.65% of AI job offers go unfilled. That's why many SMEs turn to a provider that builds and maintains the solution while the team carries on with their work.
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