European users mostly use AI for basic spreadsheet tasks

Ajelix has published anonymised user data indicating that European professionals mainly use its AI tools for basic spreadsheet tasks. The study covered nearly 3,000 users across all 27 EU member states.

The figures show that 66.9% of European users relied on AI for formula generation, while 37.3% used more advanced automation functions. Only 10.2% used multiple AI features, and 9.5% produced finished outputs such as dashboards or reports.

The analysis was based on behaviour among users of Ajelix's spreadsheet AI tools. The dataset included 1,848 EU users with 13,458 generations, alongside a comparison group of 1,136 US users with 35,182 generations.

The gap with the US was evident across several measures. Half of US users, or 50.1%, tried at least one advanced automation feature, compared with 37.3% in Europe.

Use of script-related tools also lagged behind the US sample. Script generation reached 32.5% among EU users versus 40.8% in the US, while script debugging stood at 6.1% compared with 13.5%, and script optimisation at 3.7% versus 8.6%.

European users were also less likely to combine functions. The share using multiple AI tools was 10.2% in the EU and 22.1% in the US, while finished outputs such as dashboards or reports were created by 9.5% of EU users compared with 13.3% of US users.

Prompt patterns

Ajelix also examined how users wrote prompts. The median prompt length among European users was 13 words, and 27.5% of prompts contained five words or fewer.

A smaller share of prompts were much longer. The data shows that 9.7% of prompts exceeded 150 words.

The prompt-length analysis covered user messages from February to late June and included 32,331 messages from 4,668 users in the US and Europe. Of those, 21,218 came from EU users and 11,113 from US users.

The broader regional comparison used selected platform events from February to June and covered 30,736 EU events and 16,542 US events. The same features were available in both regions during the period studied.

Wider backdrop

Ajelix linked its findings to a broader pattern in workplace AI use. It cited Brookings labour market research showing that 43% of US workers used AI in their jobs, compared with 32% of European workers, and that US workers spent a larger share of their working hours using AI.

At the same time, business uptake in Europe has been rising. Eurostat data cited by Ajelix showed that 20% of EU enterprises used AI in 2025, up from 13.5% a year earlier.

That combination suggests adoption is expanding in Europe, while more advanced workflow use remains less common among users in Ajelix's dataset. The findings reflect behaviour on its own platform rather than the full European workforce.

Ajelix said the analysis drew on data patterns from 13 AI tools for Excel and Google Sheets, as well as script generation, explanation, debugging and optimisation tools. It also included tools used for spreadsheet tasks.

The company, which says its platform is used by 340,000 people worldwide, positions its software around spreadsheets, documents, dashboards and reports. The latest data points to a European user base engaging more with immediate task support than with broader automation.

One executive at the company said the figures show room for wider use of more advanced tools. "European users have built a strong foundation with practical AI tools. The next opportunity is to make advanced automation just as accessible, helping users move from familiar AI assistance toward more advanced automation without adding unnecessary complexity. That's not a ceiling - it's a starting point, and it points directly at where the next wave of productivity gains in Europe will come from," said Agnese Jaunosane, Chief Operating Officer, Ajelix.