The Banco de España published on 28 October 2026 the Documento Ocasional 2624 and found that artificial intelligence has become much more widespread in Spain’s business sector. According to the report, use among small and medium-sized businesses has more than doubled since 2024 and now stands at around 30 to 35 per cent. Among large businesses, it is about 70 per cent. The findings draw on analyses from the Encuesta del Banco de España on business activity, together with balance-sheet data from the Central de Balances Integrada.
So far, the report has observed only limited direct effects on employment. By contrast, businesses with more intensive AI use report productivity gains, higher investment and greater holdings of intangible assets more often. Structural differences remain pronounced: digitally oriented industries and larger businesses are adapting faster, while traditional, labour-intensive sectors and smaller firms are lagging behind. Businesses that have yet to adopt AI cite limited resources and low perceived usefulness as the main reasons.
The analysis places the findings in the context of earlier work by the Banco de España, which had already documented Spain’s lag behind parts of the European Union. The new feature is the detailed link between intensity of use, balance-sheet characteristics and investment patterns. The authors explicitly distinguish between measured effects, survey findings and cautious assumptions about future developments. Long-term effects on employment structures and wages remain uncertain, they say, and require further observation.
For economic policy, the report identifies several areas for action: easier access to finance for digital investment, targeted training to address skills gaps, and technical support for small and medium-sized businesses. The study also refers to ongoing regulatory initiatives, including national sandbox programmes for artificial intelligence, which are intended to test governance and legal frameworks.
The publication therefore provides a current, empirically grounded snapshot of the spread of AI in Spain. Its key finding is a widening gap between more productive businesses that use AI and those lagging behind. In the Banco de España’s assessment, whether this leads to a broad productivity boost across the economy depends on further uptake, the quality of implementation and supporting policies.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).