McKinsey report projects AI could add €280 billion to Central Europe's economy

McKinsey & Company’s new study “Realising the Potential of Artificial Intelligence in Central Europe” estimates that AI could unlock more than €280 billion in economic value, representing over 6 % of the region’s total net sales. The analysis covers eight Central European nations – Croatia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia – and identifies manufacturing, construction, energy, logistics, retail and financial services as the sectors with the greatest upside.

Adoption of AI at the firm level remains low compared with Western Europe. Only about 12 % of companies in Central Europe have deployed AI in any business function, versus 28 % in the West. In Croatia, 24 % of the population uses AI for personal purposes while 15 % of firms have begun experimenting with the technology. The report urges Croatian firms to move beyond pilots and embed AI in core processes such as customer support, sales, demand planning, supply‑chain management, finance and operations. “The biggest value will come from areas where AI changes the way work is done – from customer support and sales to planning, logistics, finance and operational decision‑making,” said Tomislav Brezinščak, leading partner for Southeast Europe at McKinsey.