The global artificial intelligence (AI) market in 2026 is undergoing a deep, structural segmentation. According to the latest data published by Visual Capitalist (in collaboration with Microsoft and Eurostat) and DataReportal in their semi-annual reports, the global number of monthly active users of standalone AI tools has surpassed the 1 billion mark (estimated to be between 1.1 and 1.5 billion users worldwide).

In this ranking of 146 countries, a new methodology that tracks the working-age population with a minimum of 90 minutes of AI activity per month places Croatia in a solid 37th place worldwide. However, behind this ranking lie massive internal contrasts—while our youth are at the very top of the world, the business sector is struggling with traditional structures and slow implementation.

Individuals and the General Population: A Stable Golden Mean

While the global peak is dominated by highly digitalized economies like the United Arab Emirates (70.1%) and Singapore (63.4%), a strong northern circle of leaders is emerging in Europe. Norway is the European leader with 56.3% of citizens actively using AI tools, followed by Denmark with 48.4% and Switzerland with 47.0%.

With an active usage rate between 25% and 27% among the general population, Croatia sits in a stable middle position on both the European and global leaderboards, right next to the average for Central and Eastern Europe.

For broader context, the following comparisons are particularly interesting:

• USA: The United States—despite being home to the largest AI giants that generate the lion’s share of movement on the S&P 500 index—records an active usage rate of 31.3% among the working-age population, positioning the US outside the top 20 global markets.
• Western Europe: With its 25% to 27% active usage rate of advanced digital platforms (AI) among the general population, Croatia finds itself in a stable middle position on the European scale. Interestingly, in this specific segment, Croatia ranks ahead of some larger economies such as Italy, where the adoption of these tools stands at a modest 19.9%, while European leaders like Norway and advanced digital economies reach high levels of 56% to 59%.

This stable position of citizens is partly driven by the country’s overall digital landscape. According to the Digital 2026: Croatia report, Croatia records a high internet penetration rate of 84.6% (around 3.25 million users) and an exceptionally active user base on social media and advanced platforms, amounting to 72.1% of the total population.

Youth in Croatia: An Organic Leap to the Very Top of the World

In contrast to the moderate average of the general population, the younger generation in Croatia is achieving extraordinary results on a global scale.

In the segment of students, pupils, and young professionals who use generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Copilot, or advanced educational AI assistants) at least once a month, Croatia ranks a fantastic 2nd in the world with as much as 68.8%, trailing just behind the leading Switzerland (69.0%).

Generation Z in Croatia has executed an incredibly rapid, organic integration of AI into studying, research, writing, and everyday tasks. Young people in Croatia are adopting technology significantly faster than their peers in larger, more sluggish Western economies. A key catalyst in 2026 is the absence of language barriers, as the new generation of AI models shows a dramatic leap in performance on languages other than English, including Croatian.

The Business Sector: The Challenge of Implementation and the Statistical Gap

In stark contrast to the individual enthusiasm of citizens and youth, the situation in the Croatian economy represents the country’s greatest developmental challenge, revealing a clear discrepancy between official statistics and operational reality on the ground.

Official Figures: Stable but Too Slow Growth

According to the latest official and updated data from Eurostat and the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (DZS) for companies with 10 or more employees, the percentage of enterprises using at least one AI technology in Croatia stands at 15.19%.

Although the data shows growth compared to 2024 (when the rate was 11.76%), Croatia still lags behind the European Union (EU-27) average of 19.95%. For example, the frontrunners in the EU are Denmark (42.03%), Finland (37.82%), and Sweden (35.04%), while Romania (5.21%), Poland (8.36%), and Bulgaria (8.55%) bring up the rear.

Reality on the Ground: A Real Rate of 12%

Although official statistics include companies with more than 10 employees, representatives of the CroAI (Croatian Artificial Intelligence Association) warned of a more realistic cross-section of the situation in their official Position Paper presented to the National Council for Digital Transformation.

They estimate that only about 12% (or a real operational range of 9% to 11%) of total Croatian companies actually utilize AI in their daily business functions. The most common forms of AI used by domestic companies are text analysis, machine translation, and basic process automation.

The reason why the total national figure is so low lies in the fact that the statistics are dragged down by micro and small enterprises (especially those with fewer than 10 employees and tradesmen), which make up over 95% of the total number of registered businesses in Croatia.

While technological frontrunners and advanced domestic companies are already achieving measurable results in productivity, automation, and data processing, micro and small entrepreneurs mostly lag behind due to three key reasons:

1. A lack of financial resources for commercial and expensive enterprise licenses.
2. The absence of structured data and low digital maturity within the company (Data Readiness).
3. A deficit in managerial knowledge on how to operationally implement AI beyond basic emailing, image generation, or text translation.

Economic Pressure and the Productivity Imperative

This business lag further weighs down Croatia’s competitiveness in the context of macroeconomic pressures. The inflation rate in Croatia for the past 12 months stands at 5.4%, placing it among the higher rates in Europe (behind Romania at 9.0% and Bulgaria at 6.2%). Under conditions of high inflation and rising labor costs, boosting productivity through technology becomes a critical condition for market survival.

How to Bridge the Generational-Business Gap?

Croatia finds itself in a specific and profound discrepancy. On one hand, we have a highly digitalized, technologically literate, and agile young population that is near the very top of the world in the application of artificial intelligence. On the other hand, the business sector suffers from traditional business patterns, slower transformation, and a lack of vision among small entrepreneurs.

The key challenge for the domestic economy in the coming period will not be the availability of AI tools or infrastructure itself. The challenge lies in the speed and readiness of managers and entrepreneurs to shift AI from the stage of “playing, testing, and academic assistance” (where our citizens and youth already excel) into the stage of structured, daily business processes that optimize costs, bring direct profit, and ensure global competitiveness in the market.

Author, Admin

Sources analyzed in the article: Eurostat, DZS, Visual Capitalist (“Mapped: AI Adoption by Country in 2026” / “AI Adoption Across Europe”), DataReportal (“DataReportal: Digital 2026 Mid-Year Global Update Report”), CroAI Position Paper 2026.