Stanford's 2026 AI Index is the most cited annual measurement of where AI stands. Read through a European lens, three findings stand out, and together they make the case for sovereign AI better than any sales pitch.
1. Adoption is everywhere
Generative AI reached over half the world's population in roughly three years, faster than the personal computer or the internet, and 88% of organisations report using AI. When AI is used in seven out of ten business functions, your sensitive data is flowing into it every day.
2. The guardrails are not keeping up
Documented AI incidents rose to 362 in 2025, up 55% in a year, and one in nine organisations still has no responsible-AI policy at all. The space between how much AI is used and how well it is governed is exactly where data leaks happen.
3. Europe is the trusted referee
Across surveyed countries, the EU is trusted to regulate AI more than the United States or China. For a European business, the compliant choice and the choice your customers already trust point in the same direction.
We pulled the full breakdown into our State of AI pages, with each figure attributed to Stanford HAI. It is worth ten minutes.