According to the Gigas Spanish SME Digitalization Barometer, digitalization continues in Spanish SMEsalthough they still have important structural challenges ahead, in addition to having the need to take technology seriously as a way to gain competitiveness.
The survey used to prepare this barometer, carried out by Ipsos based on 1,300 interviews with business and technology managers, analyzes the adoption of cloud, cybersecurity and AI as key axes of efficiency, and although it registers progress in the three areas, it indicates that Spanish SMEs are in full transition.
Thus, technology is beginning to be perceived more as an investment than as an expense, and almost 40% of companies already detect a favorable economic impact in digitalization. In addition, more than 60% consider that the use of the cloud and digital services generates efficiency. AI gains presence, the cloud is consolidated as essential infrastructure and cybersecurity is one of the highlights of companies.
SMEs are, however, at a stage in which they have to go from the testing phase with basic, and even free, tools in areas of little importance to investing in higher level solutions that improve not only accessory and low-value activities, but also critical processes. On the other hand, the report reveals a gap between perception and reality among SME managers, because although 79% of companies believe they have a medium or high level of digitalization, only 9% show solid adoption in AI, cloud and cybersecurity.
Cloud adoption among Spanish SMEs is widespread, and two out of three companies use it. 46% say they will migrate processes to the cloud in the next six months, due to the need to achieve more flexibility and efficiency, as well as access to data in real time.
For 63% of companies, it is also synonymous with economic efficiency. The cloud serves Spanish SMEs to cover, above all, basic functions: email, office automation or backups. Those that use the cloud structurally are very few, and many fundamental processes remain a minority in the cloud. Only 9% use it with ERP, 11% with Human Resources, 12% with a CRM, 22% with customer databases, and 23% with accounting and billing.
Despite the popularization of the cloud, the physical server is still present in companies, and in many it continues to play a leading role. 52% of SMEs have local storage systems, in many cases because they believe that this gives them more security and control over their data. In companies with 10 to 49 employees, almost 70% of companies choose physical servers. Furthermore, when choosing a cloud provider, the quality/Price ratio by far prevails, to the detriment of other important aspects, such as technical support, regulatory compliance or the existence of a transparent pricing model.
Regarding data sovereignty, 56% believe it is important to have data hosted in European territorybut More than 60% of the companies consulted do not know where their information is stored in the cloud, and 86% say they feel safe with their cloud provider in any case.
Cybersecurity and adoption of AI, pending issues in digitalization
He main obstacle that companies have to deepen the use of the cloud is the concern about data security (23%)followed by the cost of services and not seeing the need to move more processes to the cloud. 43% have a cloud expense that does not reach 1,000 euros per year, while 18% assure that it is between 1,000 and 5,000 euros. Only 1% of SMEs spend more than 20,000 euros annually on it.
78% of the SMEs surveyed say they have some protection, but in most cases they are basic solutions: antivirus, standard firewall or backups. In a scenario in which cybercriminals are no longer stopped with an antivirus, it is necessary to adopt layered security, more proactive than reactive, but only 30% of SMEs have adopted an advanced system, such as an EDR, a state-of-the-art firewall, contracting protection insurance against cyber threats or certifications (such as ENS or ISO 27001).
8% of the companies surveyed have suffered a cyber attack in the last year, a percentage that in the case of medium-sized companies is 21%, and despite this, the investment of SMEs in cybersecurity is very low, and almost 50% allocate less than 500 euros per year to protection, and another 18% invest between 500 and 2,000 euros. Among the main obstacles to investing more in advanced cybersecurity technologies are the perception that the costs are high and the lack of knowledge of the risks to which companies are exposed.
Regarding generative AI, 36% of Spanish SMEs use UA-based tools. But more than half use free versions, which shows a tactical approach and little integration into the business. However, as the size of the company increases, its commitment to paid versions and corporate licenses increases. Among medium-sized companies, the majority choose premium solutions, while only 19% do so in micro-SMEs.
The AI tool most used by Spanish SMEs is ChatGPT, with 72%, followed by Google Gemini (43%) and Microsoft Copilot (23%).. Behind them are those integrated into management software or in-house and customized developments. The main use of AI in SMEs is document management and word processing (46%), followed by data analysis for decision making (41%), marketing and sales management (38%) and customer support with chatbots and assistants (34%).
Almost 60% of companies expect to improve productivity and efficiency thanks to AI, and 35% plan to invest or increase their investment in this technology in the next 12 months. Among those who do not yet use it, the main barrier is the lack of a clear application of AI in their daily activity. By company profile, those with between 1 and 9 employees are the most wary of investing in AI solutions.
The Gigas bathrometer also identifies other structural factors that determine the pace of technology adoption in Spanish companies. The main one is employee training, since 44% of SMEs consider that the lack of digital skills prevents them from advancing in the implementation of new solutions.
Furthermore, companies that train their employees on a regular basis are few: sOnly 26% of those surveyed carry out training activities for their staff on AI, cybersecurity or cloud. Regarding data sovereignty, 56% of companies believe it is important for their technology provider to host information under European jurisdiction, which is key for the protection of intellectual property and to avoid technological dependence on companies outside the EU.
