Euronews cites this finding from the Public Sector AI Adoption Index 2026. The survey was conducted by the Center for Data Innovation with the support of Google.
The study shows that against the background of accelerating worldwide adoption of AI, European countries are taking a more cautious, risk minimization-oriented stance. Because of this, many civil servants still do not have access to technologies that are already changing the work of government agencies in other regions.
Today, 74% of officials around the world are already using such technologies, and 80% believe they are helping them in their work. But only 18% are confident that their governments are using AI effectively enough.
The index is based on a survey of 3,335 civil servants from 10 countries, including the UK, Germany, France, the US, Japan, Brazil, South Africa, India, Singapore and Saudi Arabia.
France came in last place
Thus, 74% of French civil servants said that AI is not capable of performing any of their work tasks, and about 45% do not use such technologies in the workplace at all.
Only 27% of workers said their organizations are investing in AI tools, and many noted that management gives vague guidance on their use.
Modest practical experience seems to have a direct impact on attitudes towards technology. Many French civil servants do not expect AI to improve their performance.
These findings seem particularly telling against the backdrop of France’s substantial investment in AI infrastructure and the development of ethical standards to guide the responsible deployment of such technologies in the public sector.
The report warns that 70% of employees actively using AI in organizations where there is little or no official guidance on its use are doing so “in the shadows,” i.e. without their employer’s knowledge.
Europe’s attitude to AI
In Europe as a whole, AI adoption remains cautious. Germany and France are among the most cautious countries, where the use of such technologies in government agencies is limited to narrow specialists and pilot projects.
The UK is making progress in AI adoption, but still faces a lack of clear guidance and infrastructure: only 37% of civil servants have received any AI training.
Meanwhile, adoption varies widely from department to department and many staff still lack access to the technology.
At the same time, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and India topped the rankings. They have a combination of strong leadership support and widespread day-to-day use of AI in the work of government agencies.
The survey measured adoption in five areas: attitudes toward AI, confidence in working with it, access to approved tools and guidance from management, the extent to which AI is integrated into daily workflows, and access to training.
