Small firms score 40/100 on digital
2 October 2026
The average small business scores 40 out of 100 on digital. On AI and automation, it scores 19.
Those numbers come from the EU's own digital maturity test, taken by more than 8,000 small and medium businesses through the European Digital Innovation Hubs.
Every one of those firms had gone looking for help. Bigger, more digital firms tend to score higher on this test, so the typical small business that never asked is likely sitting lower again.
So if you feel like everyone else has AI sorted and you're the one behind, you're in the majority.
The more useful part of the report came after. When firms were scored a second time, after working with a hub, nine in ten had improved. AI and automation rose the most, by up to 35 per cent, and the firms that started lowest made the biggest gains.
A low AI score is where your fastest progress comes from.
The test is free and open to any small business. Search for the EU's Open DMAT, answer the questions and get your own number.
Then you'll know exactly where you stand against that 40.