AI & industrial efficiency in Belgium
Belgium sits well above the EU on industrial AI adoption: in 2025 34.54% of its enterprises with ten or more staff used AI technologies, against an EU-27 average of 19.9% (4th of 28 countries reported by Eurostat). On the energy side 14.34% of its gross final energy consumption came from renewable sources in 2024, well below the EU's 25.2%.
| Indicator | Belgium | EU average | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprises using AI | 34.54% | 19.95% | 2025 |
| Renewable energy share | 14.34% | 25.24% | 2024 |
| Enterprise birth rate | 8.23% | 10.46% | 2023 |
On AI take-up Belgium ranks 4th of the 28 economies in the Eurostat isoc_eb_ai release, with 34.54% of larger enterprises using AI — about 14.6 points ahead of the EU-27 average of 19.9%. Its renewable share of 14.34% for 2024 places it 29th of 29, while its 2023 enterprise birth rate of 8.23% ranks 25th against an EU mean of 10.5%.
What stands out for Belgium: It is one of the highest AI-adopting economies Eurostat tracks; its renewable share is among the lowest in the dataset; its business base turns over slowly, with one of the lower birth rates. The contrast between relatively high AI use and a comparatively low renewable share is the most notable feature of its profile.
FAQ
What share of enterprises in Belgium use AI?
Eurostat reports that 34.54% of enterprises in Belgium with ten or more employees used AI technologies in 2025, compared with an EU-27 average of 19.9% (dataset isoc_eb_ai).
How does Belgium's renewable energy share compare with the EU?
In 2024, renewable sources made up 14.34% of Belgium's gross final energy consumption, well below the EU-27 figure of 25.2% (Eurostat dataset nrg_ind_ren).
What was the enterprise birth rate in Belgium?
Belgium's enterprise birth rate was 8.23% in 2023, against an EU-27 average of 10.5% (Eurostat business demography, dataset bd_size).
Sources
- Eurostat — Use of artificial intelligence in enterprises (dataset isoc_eb_ai)
- Eurostat — Share of energy from renewable sources (dataset nrg_ind_ren)
- Eurostat — Business demography by size class (dataset bd_size)
- Eurostat — 20% of EU enterprises use AI technologies
- Eurostat — More businesses opened than dissolved in the EU in 2023
European data & reports
Reports: State of AI Adoption in European Manufacturing 2026 · State of European Industrial Energy & Decarbonization 2026 · State of EU Manufacturing: Enterprises & Resilience 2026
Data: Share of EU enterprises using AI · EU AI adoption by enterprise size · EU AI adoption by country · EU enterprise birth and death rates · EU enterprise birth rates by country