42 Percent of Polish Companies Already Use Automation or AI, Labor Market Barometer 2026 Finds

Nearly half of companies operating in Poland already use automation or artificial intelligence in their daily work, but for most of them it remains isolated experimentation rather than a shift in how the whole organization operates. That is according to the newly published Labor Market Barometer 2026 report prepared by Gi Group Holding.

The SW Research survey was carried out on a sample of 1,074 respondents, combining the perspectives of both employers and employees. This design makes it possible to compare companies' claims about deployment with how the changes are actually felt by people working with the new tools day to day, rather than relying solely on official statements from HR or IT departments.

Who Is Adopting Fastest

The data shows a clear split between sectors. Retail reports the highest share of large-scale deployments at 15.4 percent, closely followed by services at 14 percent. Transport and logistics stand at 13.6 percent, the public sector at 10.9 percent, and industry closes out the ranking at 9.1 percent.

That order is no coincidence. Retail and services can more easily deploy ready-made AI tools for customer service, offer personalization, or sales data analysis, since this does not require integration with costly production infrastructure. Industry, where automation often means investment in production lines, robots, or control systems, needs more time and capital per project.

Scale Versus Declarations

The report's authors distinguish three levels of engagement. Besides the 12.2 percent of companies deploying AI broadly, 30 percent use it only in selected areas, for example in a single department or for a single process. Another 22.5 percent are still planning deployment, while 35 percent of companies use neither automation nor AI and have no such investments planned.

This breakdown shows that the declared 42.2 percent adoption rate does not amount to a widespread business transformation. Real, deep change currently affects just over one company in ten, while the rest are either testing tools in isolated spots or are still preparing to.

Automation and AI are no longer solutions reserved for a select few companies - Antonio Carvelli, CEO of Gi Group

How Employees Feel

The report also asks about the perceptions of people who work with the new tools every day. More than half, 52 percent, say AI makes their duties easier, and 24.4 percent notice a real reduction in repetitive tasks, meaning routine administrative or reporting work.

Not all the sentiment is positive, though. 20.6 percent of employees report increased pressure to perform after AI tools were introduced to their team, and 19 percent point to the need to acquire new skills to keep up with changes in how work is organized.

What It Means for Polish Companies

For managers in Poland, the report's findings signal that the question is no longer whether to deploy AI, but how to go deeper than the competition. Companies in sectors with lower adoption, especially industry and the public sector, risk that catching up with the leaders will cost more time and money the longer they wait, since the gap in competencies and operational data between companies widens every quarter.

The data on performance pressure and the need for new competencies also suggests that simply buying an AI tool license is not enough. Companies that want to avoid frustrating their teams need to invest in training and clear rules for using automation alongside the tools themselves, not just in subscriptions.

The Labor Market Barometer 2026 joins a series of similar studies published in recent months that consistently show the same pattern: Polish companies report growing interest in AI, but deep, systemic deployment remains the domain of a minority, concentrated mainly in retail and services.