An AI adoption model for SMEs: a conceptual framework

Abstract today literature proposes several models to assess the level of digitisation of a company. However, digitisation includes innumerable elements and aspects that require either models that are too complex to be easily applied by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) or too high-level to provide significant hints for improvement. This paper proposes a model for measuring Artificial Intelligence (AI) readiness and promoting its adoption in SMEs. By focusing the approach, a model is obtained that is easy to apply, also for SMEs, and sufficiently detailed to provide relevant information and guidelines. The model has been already applied in a sample of 39 companies. It could serve for organizations to assess themselves and for authorities, industrial organisations and academia to diagnose selected populations (e.g. clusters, sectors, economies).