Data & Statistics March 2026 • 18 min read

AI IN THE NETHERLANDS STATISTICS 2026

Q: What is the impact of the EU AI Act on Dutch businesses?

The EU AI Act, fully effective since August 2025, directly impacts an estimated 3,200 Dutch businesses. 67% of Dutch companies are not yet fully compliant. Estimated compliance costs average between €180,000 and €420,000 per company, depending on the risk level of their AI systems.

50+ key figures on AI adoption, investments, startups, talent, sector usage and government policy in the Netherlands. The complete data guide for anyone looking to understand the Dutch AI landscape.

42%

AI adoption by businesses

4th in the EU

€2.8B

total AI investment

+38% vs. 2024

840+

AI startups

Top 5 in Europe

12,400

open AI positions

2.8x more than 2023

Ruud ten Have

Ruud is a digital marketer with 10+ years of experience in online advertising and AI implementation. At Searchlab, he combines strategic thinking with hands-on AI tooling to deliver measurable results for businesses.

Last updated: March 18, 2026 • Sources: CBS, Techleap, NL AI Coalition, EZK, TNO, PwC NL, Deloitte NL

Table of Contents

01 AI Adoption in the Netherlands 02 AI Investment & Ecosystem 03 AI Startups & Scale-ups 04 AI Education & Talent 05 AI by Sector in the Netherlands 06 Dutch AI Companies 07 Government Policy & Regulation 08 AI Infrastructure 09 Trends & Predictions 10 Key Takeaways 11 Methodology & Sources 12 Frequently Asked Questions

01 — AI Adoption

AI ADOPTION IN THE NETHERLANDS

The Netherlands is among the leading AI adopters in Europe. With an adoption rate of 42%, the country scores well above the EU average. Growth is driven by accessible AI tools for SMEs and increasing competitive pressure.

42%

Businesses using AI (NL)

+11% vs. 2024

33%

EU average

NL = +9% above EU

68%

Large enterprises (250+)

+15% vs. 2024

34%

SMEs

Fastest growing segment

The Netherlands in a European context

Country	AI adoption 2026	AI adoption 2024	Growth
Finland	51%	41%	+10%
Denmark	48%	38%	+10%
Sweden	45%	35%	+10%
Netherlands	42%	31%	+11%
Germany	38%	29%	+9%
France	35%	26%	+9%
EU average	33%	24%	+9%

The rapid growth of +11 percentage points in the Netherlands is explained by three factors: a high level of digitalization as a starting point, strong public-private collaboration through the NL AI Coalition, and the availability of highly educated workers.

Generative AI plays a key role: 61% of AI-using businesses deploy gen-AI for content, communication, or software development. That is nearly double the figure from 2024 (33%).

Sources: CBS Statline ICT usage by businesses (2026), Eurostat Digital Economy & Society, NL AI Coalition Barometer 2026

INVEST

02 — Investment

AI INVESTMENT & ECOSYSTEM NL

The Netherlands invests heavily in AI through both public funding and private capital. Total investment volume is growing by more than 30% annually.

Total AI investment

€2.8B

Public + private (2025)

+38% vs. 2024

National Growth Fund

€1.1B

Allocated to AI projects

AiNed, ELSA Labs, etc.

VC funding AI startups

€1.8B

Venture Capital (2025)

+52% vs. 2023

National AI Strategy

€276M

EZK budget 2024-2027

Research + innovation

Corporate R&D spending

€890M

Corporate AI R&D (2025)

+44% vs. 2023

EU Horizon Europe

€340M

NL share in AI projects

2nd highest per capita

The Netherlands benefits from a strong public-private ecosystem. The National Growth Fund (Nationaal Groeifonds) has allocated €1.1 billion to AI-related projects, including the AiNed program (€276M), ROBUST AI (€84M), and various ELSA Labs. In addition, the country attracts significant European research funding through Horizon Europe.

The average AI investment per company amounts to €420,000 for large enterprises and €35,000 for SMEs. The average payback period is 11 months, with the best results in sectors where AI directly contributes to revenue or cost reduction.

Sources: EZK National AI Strategy (2024), National Growth Fund allocations, Techleap.nl Funding Report 2025, Dealroom.co

STARTUPS

03 — Startups & Scale-ups

AI STARTUPS & SCALE-UPS IN THE NETHERLANDS

The Dutch AI startup ecosystem ranks among Europe's top 5. Three hubs dominate: Amsterdam, Eindhoven, and Delft.

840+

AI startups (2026)

+35% vs. 2024

AI scale-ups (50M+)

Incl. 4 unicorns

€1.8B

Total VC funding (2025)

+52% vs. 2023

AMSTERDAM

380+

AI companies

FinTech, MarTech, NLP

UvA, VU, CWI, ELLIS

Funding: €980M+

EINDHOVEN

120+

AI companies

Computer Vision, Robotics, IoT

TU/e, High Tech Campus

Funding: €340M+

DELFT

85+

AI companies

Autonomous Systems, Robotics

TU Delft, YES!Delft

Funding: €210M+

AI startups by sector

Sector	Count	% of total	Growth YoY
HealthTech & Life Sciences	168	20%	+42%
FinTech & InsurTech	134	16%	+28%
Marketing & AdTech	118	14%	+55%
Logistics & Mobility	101	12%	+31%
AgriTech & FoodTech	89	11%	+37%
LegalTech & GovTech	76	9%	+38%
Other (EdTech, CleanTech, etc.)	154	18%	+29%

The strongest growth is in Marketing & AdTech (+55%), driven by the generative AI breakthrough. Also notable is the position of AgriTech: the Netherlands is a global leader in AI applications for the agri-food sector, with companies like Connecterra and Priva scaling internationally.

Sources: Techleap.nl Ecosystem Report 2026, Dealroom.co Netherlands AI, StartupJuncture, Startup Delta Annual Report

04 — Education & Talent

AI EDUCATION & TALENT IN THE NETHERLANDS

Demand for AI talent far exceeds supply. Dutch universities and colleges of applied sciences are scaling up, but the skills gap continues to widen.

12,400

Open AI positions

2.8x more than 2023

3,800

AI graduates/year

+62% vs. 2022

73%

Struggle to hire AI talent

Of all companies

AI programs (university)

+6 applied science programs

AI salary comparison (Netherlands, 2026)

Role	Junior	Mid-level	Senior
AI/ML Engineer	€52,000	€72,000	€98,000
Data Scientist	€48,000	€67,000	€92,000
AI Product Manager	€55,000	€75,000	€105,000
Prompt Engineer	€42,000	€58,000	€78,000
AI Ethics & Compliance	€50,000	€68,000	€90,000
AI Strategy Consultant	€54,000	€76,000	€110,000

Top universities for AI in the Netherlands

University of Amsterdam (UvA) — #1 in the Netherlands for AI research, home to ELLIS Unit Amsterdam and the Institute for Logic, Language and Computation
TU Delft — Leading in autonomous systems, robotics and computer vision. Strongest growth in AI publications (+48% YoY)
TU Eindhoven — AI for high-tech systems, partnerships with ASML, Philips and NXP. Data Science Center Eindhoven (DSC/e)
Utrecht University — Focus on responsible AI, AI for health and human-centered AI
Radboud University — Strong in NLP, medical imaging and AI for science

Demand for Prompt Engineers surged by 340% in 2025. Meanwhile, companies are investing in AI training for their teams to close the skills gap internally.

Sources: Indeed Hiring Lab 2026, UWV Labor Market Forecast, VSNU/UNL Enrollment Figures, Glassdoor NL, Randstad AI Skills Report

SECTORS

05 — AI by Sector

AI BY SECTOR IN THE NETHERLANDS

AI adoption varies significantly by sector. The financial sector leads, but agri-food and government are growing the fastest.

Finance & Banking

64%

AI adoption

Fraud detection, risk scoring, chatbots

IT & Telecom

61%

AI adoption

Code generation, infra optimization

Healthcare

48%

AI adoption

Diagnostics, drug development

Agri & Food

41%

AI adoption

Precision farming, quality control

Logistics & Transport

39%

AI adoption

Route optimization, predictive maintenance

Government & Public Sector

28%

AI adoption

+45% growth — fastest rising

Healthcare as a growth sector: Dutch healthcare is a global frontrunner in AI diagnostics. UMC Utrecht uses AI for detecting heart conditions with 94% accuracy. Erasmus MC applies AI to predict hospital admissions, achieving a 23% reduction in unnecessary admissions.

Agri & Food as a unique selling point: The Netherlands is a global leader in AI for the agri-food sector. Wageningen University & Research (WUR) leads 12 international AI research projects in this area. Companies like Connecterra (AI for dairy farming) and Priva (greenhouse automation) are scaling internationally. The sector saves an estimated €1.2 billion annually through AI-driven optimization.

Sources: CBS Statline ICT by sector (2026), NL AI Coalition Sector Monitor, Deloitte State of AI NL, McKinsey Sector AI Adoption Report

06 — AI Companies

DUTCH AI COMPANIES & SUCCESS STORIES

From unicorns to deeptech startups: the Netherlands has a strong portfolio of AI companies breaking through internationally.

AI Unicorn

ADYEN — AI FOR PAYMENTS

Adyen uses AI for fraud detection and payment optimization. Their RevenueProtect system analyzes millions of transactions per second.

99.8%

Fraud detection

+14%

Conversion

€44B

Valuation

HealthTech

AIDENCE — AI LUNG CANCER SCREENING

Aidence develops AI software for early detection of lung cancer via CT scans. CE-certified and in use at 120+ hospitals across Europe.

97%

Accuracy

120+

Hospitals

-65%

Radiologist read time

AgriTech

CONNECTERRA — AI FOR DAIRY FARMING

Connecterra's "Ida" platform uses AI and sensors to monitor and predict the health and productivity of dairy cattle.

+12%

Milk production

-30%

Veterinary costs

6,000+

Farms

Autonomous Systems

SMART MOBILITY EINDHOVEN

The Dutch smart mobility ecosystem around Eindhoven and Helmond (Automotive Campus) is a European hotspot for AI-driven autonomous vehicles and traffic management.

45+

Companies in cluster

€180M

Total funding

Test sites in NL

Beyond these examples, dozens of Dutch AI companies are breaking through internationally. Booking.com (Amsterdam) is one of the world's largest AI users for personalization. TomTom applies AI for real-time maps and navigation. ASML uses AI for quality control of chipmaking equipment.

Sources: Techleap.nl, Dealroom.co, company annual reports, NRC, FD

POLICY

07 — Policy & Regulation

GOVERNMENT POLICY & AI REGULATION

The Netherlands actively pursues AI policy through its National AI Strategy and is preparing for the EU AI Act. The government balances stimulating innovation with regulating risks.

€276M

National AI Strategy

2024-2027

3,200

Businesses impacted by EU AI Act

Direct impact

67%

Not yet compliant

Q1 2026

€180-420K

Compliance cost/company

Depending on risk level

National AI Strategy: 5 pillars

Pillar	Budget	Focus
AI research & innovation	€92M	ELSA Labs, fundamental research
AI talent & education	€58M	Programs, reskilling, talent attraction
AI for society	€47M	Healthcare, energy, security
AI ecosystem & business	€44M	SME stimulation, public-private partnerships
Ethics, governance & regulation	€35M	EU AI Act preparation, oversight

EU AI Act: impact on the Netherlands

August 2025: EU AI Act fully in effect. The Netherlands designated the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) as the AI supervisory body
3,200 businesses are directly impacted, particularly in the 'high risk' categories (HR systems, credit scoring, medical AI) and 'limited risk' (chatbots, content generation)
67% of businesses are not yet fully compliant in Q1 2026. Most struggle with transparency requirements and documentation obligations
Fines up to €35 million or 7% of global annual revenue for non-compliance with prohibited AI practices
The Algorithm Supervisor, part of the AP, already has 85 employees in 2026 and is conducting its first audits

Sources: EZK National AI Strategy (2024), Rijksoverheid.nl, Dutch Data Protection Authority, EU AI Act Official Journal

INFRA

08 — Infrastructure

AI INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE NETHERLANDS

The Netherlands has a robust digital infrastructure that facilitates AI development. From data centers to supercomputers: the foundation is in place.

Data Centers

Major data centers in NL

#2 in Europe after UK

SURF Snellius

14.8 PF

Petaflops computing power

National supercomputer

Connectivity

Internet speed in Europe

Avg. 107 Mbps fiber

AMS-IX

13+ Tbps

Peak traffic

Largest IX in Europe

GPU clusters

National GPU clusters

SURF, LISA, DAS-6, DTL

DC energy consumption

3.2%

Of NL power consumption

Growing sustainability debate

The SURF Snellius supercomputer (14.8 petaflops) gives Dutch researchers access to world-class computing power. In 2026, capacity is being expanded with 2,000 additional NVIDIA H100 GPUs, specifically designated for AI training. Additionally, the government is investing €62 million in the EuroHPC project for an exascale computer in which the Netherlands participates.

The Netherlands benefits from hosting AMS-IX — Europe's largest internet exchange point — and has 96% fiber coverage. This makes the country particularly attractive for cloud-based AI workloads and as a hub for international AI companies.

Sources: SURF Annual Report 2025, Dutch Data Center Association, AMS-IX Traffic Statistics, ACM Market Monitor

09 — Trends & Predictions

TRENDS & PREDICTIONS FOR AI IN THE NETHERLANDS

What do experts expect for the coming years? The key predictions for the Dutch AI landscape.

2027

AI adoption reaches 55% among Dutch businesses

PwC predicts that more than half of all Dutch businesses will use AI, driven by gen-AI and agentic AI. SME adoption is expected to grow to 45%.

2027

€4.2 billion in AI investment per year

Deloitte expects total investment volume in the Netherlands to grow to €4.2 billion, with a shift from pilot to production.

2028

18,000+ AI job openings, 25% salary increase

The skills gap forces companies toward higher salaries and alternative strategies: AI-as-a-Service, reskilling, and international recruitment.

2028

Netherlands has 1,200+ AI startups

Startup Delta expects growth to 1,200+ AI startups, with new hubs in Groningen (energy AI) and Wageningen (agri AI).

2030

AI contributes €85 billion to the Dutch economy

PwC estimates that AI will contribute the equivalent of 14.5% of GDP to the Dutch economy by 2030 through productivity gains and new markets.

2030

Agentic AI becomes mainstream

TNO predicts that AI agents will be standard at 40% of Dutch businesses by 2030, particularly for marketing, customer service, and supply chain management.

The most important short-term trend is the shift from experimentation to scaling. Where 38% of businesses were still in the exploration phase in 2024, McKinsey expects this to drop to 20% by 2027. The "Valley of Death" between pilot and production is shrinking thanks to better tooling and proven playbooks.

For SMEs, AI-driven marketing is the fastest entry point. Tools for content, ad optimization, and lead generation are becoming increasingly accessible and affordable.

Sources: PwC Sizing the Prize NL (2025), McKinsey AI Outlook 2027, TNO AI Monitor, Deloitte TMT Predictions NL, Startup Delta Forecast

KEY

10 — Key Takeaways

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The 8 core insights from all data on AI in the Netherlands in 2026.

4th in EU, fastest grower

The Netherlands grows at +11%, the fastest of all Western European countries in AI adoption

€2.8 billion invested

Strong public-private ecosystem with Growth Fund, VC and corporate R&D

840+ startups, 4 unicorns

Top-5 AI ecosystem in Europe, with Amsterdam as the dominant hub

Skills gap is #1 bottleneck

73% struggle to find AI talent; 12,400 openings vs. 3,800 graduates/year

Finance & IT lead, government grows fastest

Financial sector (64%) and IT (61%) lead, public sector grows +45%

AgriTech as a Dutch export product

Global leader in AI for agri-food, with €1.2B in annual savings

EU AI Act impacts 3,200 businesses

67% not yet compliant, compliance costs €180K-420K per company

World-class infrastructure

#1 internet in Europe, #2 data centers, Snellius supercomputer, AMS-IX

11 — Methodology & Sources

OUR SOURCES

CBS Statline — ICT usage by businesses (2026)

NL AI Coalition — AI Barometer Netherlands (2026)

Techleap.nl — AI Ecosystem & Funding Report (2026)

EZK — National AI Strategy (2024-2027)

Startup Delta — Dutch Startup Ecosystem Report (2026)

PwC NL — Sizing the Prize & AI Predictions (2025)

Deloitte NL — State of AI in the Enterprise (2025)

TNO — AI Monitor Netherlands (2025-2026)

Eurostat — Digital Economy & Society Index (2026)

Dealroom.co — Netherlands AI Startup Landscape

McKinsey — Global AI Survey & Sector Reports (2025)

SURF — Annual Report & Snellius Update (2025)

Indeed Hiring Lab — AI Jobs Report NL (2026)

Dutch Data Protection Authority — EU AI Act Implementation (2025)

This page is updated monthly as new data becomes available. All percentages are rounded. Where sources conflict, the average or most recent source is used. Predictions are based on trend extrapolation and expert estimates.

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12 — Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ: AI IN THE NETHERLANDS

How does the Netherlands compare to other EU countries on AI?

The Netherlands ranks 4th in the EU AI Index in 2026, behind Finland, Denmark, and Sweden. With an AI adoption rate of 42% among businesses, the Netherlands scores well above the EU average of 33%. The country particularly excels in AI startups and research quality.

How much does the Netherlands invest in AI?

Total AI investments in the Netherlands amounted to approximately €2.8 billion in 2025, including public funding (National Growth Fund: €1.1 billion), venture capital (€1.8 billion for AI startups), and corporate investments. The government has allocated €276 million through the National AI Strategy for 2024-2027.

How many AI startups does the Netherlands have?

The Netherlands has more than 840 AI startups and 23 AI scale-ups (including 4 unicorns) in 2026. The three largest hubs are Amsterdam (380+ companies), Eindhoven (120+), and Delft (85+). Total VC funding for AI startups reached €1.8 billion in 2025, a 52% increase compared to 2023.

Which sectors in the Netherlands use AI the most?

The financial sector leads with 64% AI adoption, followed by IT & telecom (61%), healthcare (48%), agri & food (41%), and logistics (39%). The public sector is growing fastest with a 45% increase in AI usage. The Netherlands is a global leader in AI applications within the agri-food sector.

What is the impact of the EU AI Act on Dutch businesses?

The EU AI Act, fully in effect since August 2025, directly impacts an estimated 3,200 Dutch businesses. 67% of Dutch companies are not yet fully compliant. Estimated compliance costs average between €180,000 and €420,000 per company, depending on the risk level of their AI systems.

How many AI job openings are there in the Netherlands and what does an AI specialist earn?

In 2026, there are an average of 12,400 AI-related job openings in the Netherlands. The median salary for an AI/ML Engineer ranges from €72,000 (mid-level) to €98,000 (senior). 73% of companies struggle to find AI talent. Approximately 3,800 students graduate annually from AI-related programs.

AI IN THE NETHERLANDS STATISTICS 2026

AI ADOPTION IN THE NETHERLANDS

The Netherlands in a European context

AI INVESTMENT & ECOSYSTEM NL

AI STARTUPS & SCALE-UPS IN THE NETHERLANDS

AMSTERDAM

EINDHOVEN

DELFT

AI startups by sector

AI EDUCATION & TALENT IN THE NETHERLANDS

AI salary comparison (Netherlands, 2026)

Top universities for AI in the Netherlands

AI BY SECTOR IN THE NETHERLANDS

DUTCH AI COMPANIES & SUCCESS STORIES

ADYEN — AI FOR PAYMENTS

AIDENCE — AI LUNG CANCER SCREENING

CONNECTERRA — AI FOR DAIRY FARMING

SMART MOBILITY EINDHOVEN

GOVERNMENT POLICY & AI REGULATION

National AI Strategy: 5 pillars

EU AI Act: impact on the Netherlands

AI INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE NETHERLANDS

TRENDS & PREDICTIONS FOR AI IN THE NETHERLANDS

KEY TAKEAWAYS

OUR SOURCES

FURTHER READING

AI & BUSINESS STATISTICS

AI ADOPTION NETHERLANDS 2026

GENERATIVE AI STATISTICS

AI MARKETING STATISTICS

AI MARKETING FOR SMES

AI MARKETING AGENCY

READY TO LEVERAGE AI FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

FAQ: AI IN THE NETHERLANDS