Although the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within Dutch companies has increased significantly over the past year, the installation and construction sector is noticeably lagging behind. This is evident from the CBS' AI Monitor 2024. Especially companies in ICT, specialist business services and the financial sector are benefiting from these technologies, while installation and construction show hardly any growth.
CBS research shows that in 2024, an average of 22.7 percent of Dutch companies with 10 or more employees used one or more AI technologies. This is a significant increase from 2023, when the figure was 13.8 percent. Especially technologies such as text mining (13.5 percent) and natural language generation (12.3 percent) were used significantly more. Interestingly, larger companies in particular are adopting AI faster, with nearly 60 percent usage among companies with more than 500 employees.
Samantha Reilly, TMT-ICT and renewable energy sector specialist at ING Sector Banking, speaks of a "missed opportunity" for sectors that are lagging behind, such as construction and installation engineering. Reilly: "Since 2023, the use of artificial intelligence by companies has increased substantially. This is particularly evident in ICT, business services and advertising. But the construction and installation sector hardly benefit from AI, while it is precisely there that large productivity gains can be achieved."
According to Reilly, there is also a clear task for government here. "The government should encourage companies more to use AI. Without targeted encouragement, the use of AI will remain limited to a few leading sectors. In this way, we are together missing great opportunities."
One positive development, according to Reilly, is that AI is now becoming more accessible to smaller companies thanks to standard AI software. Small businesses with fewer than 100 employees saw their use of AI increase by an average of 66 percent by 2024, compared to 35 percent growth among larger companies.
Yet many companies, including those in installation and construction, continue to struggle with practical obstacles such as getting data in order, finding scalable applications and attracting skilled employees. Reilly emphasizes, "It is precisely by actively addressing these stumbling blocks that sectors such as construction and installation can make great strides. The gains to be made certainly justify the investment."
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