Against the background of the inhabitants of another EU countries, the level of digital competence of Poles remains very low – according to fresh Eurostat data. little than half declare having at least basic digital skills, and 20% more than basic. This stands in the way of digitising the economy and expanding business productivity.
In 2014, the European Commission created a tool to monitor indicators of digital advancement among the Community countries. The DESI index is an index of the digital economy and the digital society. It presently monitors 32 indicators in 4 areas, including digital competences. According to DESI 2024 data, based on studies carried out by Eurostat in 2023, 44.3 percent of Poles had at least basic digital skills in the 16-74 age group. Only Bulgaria and Romania are behind us. Against the background of a European average of 55.65 percent, we fall out on average. To leaders, Netherlands and Finland, we lose nearly 40 pp. Moreover, only 20% of Poles have over-basic digital skills, which gives us 21st place in the EU ranking (in 27 countries surveyed).
– According to any more or little nonsubjective rankings on how Poland is developing in terms of digitalisation in the European Union, we are at a low level. The main reason for this is the low digital competence. There is just a large part of Polish citizens who do not have digital competence and this distinguishes us from another highly developed countries, so there is inactive area for catching up – says Newseria Przemysław Kania, CEO of Cisco Polska.
The expert points out that the consequences of the gap in the digital competences of Poles are mainly difficulties in the consumption and implementation of digital technologies. He points out that this is simply a large problem for Polish business and entrepreneurs.
– This is given by entrepreneurs as the main barrier. Not money, not determination or strategy, but the ability to implement technology, to adapt it. We have a beautiful clear connection here – explains Przemysław Kania.
This is besides seen in Eurostat statistics. For example, in 2023 in Poland only 2.9 percent of tiny and medium-sized enterprises utilized artificial intelligence. At the time, the EU average was 7.4% and in the leading countries it was about 14%. For comparison, the implementation of cloud technologies, with which Polish companies are already more familiar, already has 45.4% of SMEs, with an EU average of 37.9%.
– It seems to me that with AI it's a small bit like it utilized to be with the net at the first minute of development. The net was specified a pick-up word. Based on it, companies built their value. Then there was any rationalisation, and present it is apparent to everyone what the net is for, how we usage it. I think it will be so with AI – we are now at the minute of defining what it can be utilized for, in a minute any good models and good practices of how to implement this AI – explains the expert.
He adds that as Poland we have a chance to compete with another countries in the field of artificial intelligence, but here the race is not the most important.
– If we are a leader in the adaptation of AI, in the implementation of this technology in specified a context, that our business processes are faster, more efficient, and we are more productive, it will be a large benefit, which will origin Poland to further make well – forecasts Przemysław Kania. – We must all realise that the measurement of our success as Poland in the context of digitization is not just that we have one, 2 or 3 companies that are very innovative and very competent. Of course, we have many – tens, hundreds of specified companies, but the point is that everyone equals to the right level. The productivity of all Poles must increase by respective percent in order to increase our gross home product by respective percent. It's the effect of scale, not the effect of individual cases.
The government is active in improving the digital competences of Poles. The Ministry of Digitization together with the Centre for Digital Projects under the investment “E-competence” provides training, which is financed by KPO funds. They will include teachers, officials, citizens, as well as people at hazard of digital exclusion – a full of about 254,000 Poles who reported their willingness to participate. The area of digital skills will besides be included in the Digitalisation strategy of Poland until 2035, which the Ministry of Digitalization is working on. According to the task presented in October 2024, which was then consulted, 85 percent of citizens are expected to have at least basic digital competences by 2035 and half of companies are expected to usage AI tools. In parallel, the ministry is besides working on updating the Digital Competence improvement Programme.
– The strategy points out that competence should be improved and shows the areas to focus on. erstwhile it comes to strategy, paper making, they are done very professionally, the problem is to simply implement them, implement them – stresses the expert.
Companies from the IT manufacture and fresh technologies operating on the Polish marketplace besides aim to bridge the digital skills gap in society.
– My company is an example of an organization that has been organizing the Cisco Networking Academy for many years. We train tens of thousands of graduates a year. We seem to have a affirmative impact on these digital competences – says Cisco CEO in Poland. – I know that another companies are doing the same thing, and there is an expanding determination to, for example, rebuild technology or even vocational schools. Over time, the fresh generation, which is already "digital native", will naturally have these digital competences. But these are the people who are 20 today, so before they start deciding in business, it'll most likely be another 20 years, so you can't wait for that, you gotta act here and now.
