Artificial Intelligence and new regulatory tools for the development of European enterprises

Abstract

The study aims to analyse the most recent actions undertaken by the European regulator to support the digitalisation of enterprises operating within the Single Market, with particular attention to small-sized businesses. Indeed, information and communication technologies (ICT), especially those related to Artificial Intelligence, offer significant growth opportunities for businesses, while at the same time presenting substantial barriers to entry. These barriers are particularly evident for smaller enterprises, which face a gap vis-à-vis large companies due to both limited access to financing and insufficient skills required for the adoption of digital technologies. Starting from an analysis of the reports drawn up by Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi on the need to strengthen the internal market and to restore competitiveness in European industry, the article focuses on the European Commission’s Communications of 2025, and in particular on the AI Continent Action Plan (COM (2025) 165) and the Apply AI Strategy (COM (2025) 723), as well as on the instruments provided therein to promote digitalisation and the adoption of AI among micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. In particular, the study examines the new European governance framework for AI, which, together with the other tools envisaged, may prove to be pivotal in supporting the development of digital innovation within European enterprises.