Bulgarian entrepreneurs use more artificial intelligence than the regional average, but their expectations of it are becoming more realistic. And despite AI, 70% plan to hire more people. That is what EY's 2026 Entrepreneurship Barometer, prepared in partnership with the BESCO association, shows.
About the survey
More than 1,000 entrepreneurs in 12 countries were surveyed, 79 of them in Bulgaria, in February and March 2026. Around 77% of the Bulgarian respondents have an annual turnover below USD 10 million.
AI in numbers
- 86% of Bulgarian respondents increased their use of AI over the past 12 months, compared with 71% in the previous edition and a regional average of 76%.
- 68% expect AI to improve efficiency significantly, down from 87% a year earlier.
- 43% expect lower operating costs.
- The most common uses: data analysis (58%), process automation (49%, up from 33% a year ago) and administrative tasks (46%).
- In marketing and customer service, Bulgaria lags behind the regional average.
Investment in digitalization
Just under half of the companies have invested up to USD 25,000, while 22% have invested nothing. Mid-sized investments of USD 25,000 to 100,000 have grown to 13%, up from 3%.
People still matter
- 70% plan to grow their workforce, compared with a regional average of 59%.
- 47% plan full-time hires, 34% external contractors and 15% part-time staff, while 5% plan layoffs.
- The main challenge is finding people with the right skills (63%).
Our take
Two numbers stand out to us: the drop in expectations (from 87% to 68%) and the gap in marketing. The first is healthy: AI is being treated as a tool, not as magic. The second is an opportunity. If your competitors are not yet using data and automation in their marketing, a well-organized website that tracks inquiries is an easy advantage. See what our services include and our article on five steps from an AI idea to a measurable result.
Topic source: Digitalk: Business is speeding up AI adoption (in Bulgarian). This article is an independent analysis by Penkov Studio.
