The Use of AI in Ukrainian Business: Which Industries Stand to Benefit in 2026–2028

A survey conducted by the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Top Lead in early 2026 showed that 93% of the Ukrainian companies surveyed are already using AI, and 62% see a positive impact on productivity and financial results. At the same time, international studies show that between 70% and 85% of initiatives to implement generative AI worldwide fail to achieve their stated business goals, and a significant portion of pilot projects never progress to full-scale deployment. Therefore, the high level of reported “AI adoption” in Ukraine is more indicative of a phase of widespread experimentation than of guaranteed success.

In the startup market in 2025, companies focused on AI raised approximately $302 million—nearly three times more than startups without a significant AI component. This indicates a strong appetite for investment in AI, but does not guarantee that most of these projects will achieve mature monetization: historically, the failure rate for AI initiatives has remained very high.

From 2026 to 2028, the sectors with the greatest potential for gains are those where AI directly impacts costs, operational speed, and scalability: e-commerce and logistics, financial services, SaaS/IT products, retail, defense technologies, as well as education and creative industries with a high proportion of text and content-related work. However, the realization of this potential will be uneven: most initiatives in these sectors will remain at the pilot stage or involve localized automation, while the minority of companies that can navigate the typical implementation risks—lack of quality data, absence of infrastructure, regulatory constraints, and risk management—will emerge as winners. It is not just individual players that will benefit, but entire “ecosystems” centered around platforms, cloud services, and data owners; however, access to these ecosystems will also be uneven.

The Current State of AI Adoption in Ukrainian Business

In 2026, the Ministry of Digital Transformation released the results of a survey of more than 200 companies: 93% of respondents are already using AI in at least one business process. The most common use cases are data and market analysis, forecasting, marketing, and sales, where about 64% of companies use AI for targeting, content generation, and increasing conversions. However, this figure does not indicate mature integration: in many cases, these are isolated experiments with individual tools rather than a profound restructuring of processes.

62% of businesses report a noticeable positive impact of AI on productivity and financial performance, indicating that part of the market is shifting from “experiments” to real operational value. At the same time, global statistics show that a significant portion of companies are unable to scale successful pilot projects, facing data shortages, a lack of infrastructure, and resistance to change. At the same time, industry surveys note that about 76% of Ukrainian companies have generally integrated AI into at least one function—marketing, customer support, analytics, or recruiting—but the quality and depth of this integration vary greatly from company to company.

Strategic Context: War, Digitalization, and Public Policy

Despite the war, the digital transformation of Ukraine’s economy continues: studies of the digital economy show that e-business is adapting and playing an increasingly important role in macroeconomic recovery. At the same time, the war has worsened certain aspects of the digital sector—infrastructure, investment capacity, and access to talent—which limits the ability to scale even promising AI projects.

The authors of the studies emphasize that the government is stepping up its efforts to support digital transformation and improve the regulatory framework, while external support and integration with European digital transition initiatives are also increasing. The Ministry of Digital Transformation is developing a National AI Development Strategy under the auspices of the WINWIN AI Center of Excellence, with the goal of becoming one of the top three countries in AI development and its integration into the public sector by 2030. In partnership with NVIDIA and Kyivstar, Ukraine’s largest telecom operator, the country is building a sovereign AI ecosystem, including a national large language model trained on Ukrainian data and a state-run “AI Factory” for developing and testing solutions. However, as of 2026, this is more of a foundation for future projects than a “magic wand” already available to every business.

The State of AI Development in 2026: From Tools to Agents—With a High Failure Rate

Experts at Metinvest Digital describe 2026 as a transition to a new phase in the use of AI: from text generation to AI agents capable of independently interacting with corporate systems, accessing ERP, analyzing reports, checking email, and performing tasks without traditional integrations. Deloitte’s global forecasts also predict rapid growth in the use of AI agents via SaaS applications specifically in 2026.

At the same time, reports from international consulting firms show that there is a complex path between the “promise” of agent-based AI and its stable operation in real-world processes—ranging from data preparation and integration to changes in roles and competencies within teams. Companies that implement AI in a focused manner—with clear KPIs, a focus on leadership, and measurable returns—truly achieve transformational growth, operational efficiency, and market differentiation. However, a significant number of organizations get stuck at the pilot stage due to a lack of AI governance, a product owner, and a willingness to change processes.

“AI generalists” stand out as a distinct group—specialists capable of managing agents and bridging the gap between business goals and technical implementation. The shortage of such professionals is becoming one of the key constraints on scaling successful solutions, which further widens the gap between market leaders and the rest of the market.

Capital and the AI Startup Ecosystem in Ukraine: High Investment, High Selection Risk

In 2025, Ukrainian tech companies and startups raised approximately $498 million in investments; of which approximately $302 million went to startups focused on AI, which is nearly three times the amount of funding received by companies without a significant AI component. This means that investors are betting on AI as a key driver of growth, but given the overall statistics for startups and AI projects, a significant portion of these companies will not achieve large-scale product success.

AI solutions are actively used in defense tech, fintech, cybersecurity, and educational products, which strengthens the export potential of Ukrainian technologies. Reviews of the Ukrainian AI-SaaS sector show that many startups with Ukrainian roots are integrating AI as a horizontal technology into their products: from productivity tools and analytics to financial automation and “creative AI.” Companies are focused on automating repetitive tasks, accelerating decision-making, personalizing the user experience, and reducing operational costs—but in every case, the ability to work with real customer data, rather than just “demo” scenarios, is critical.

Sectors Likely to Benefit the Most in 2026–2028

Overview of Key Sectors

Analytics from the Ministry of Digital Transformation, Ukrainian AI platforms, and international forecasts point to several sectors where the impact of AI could potentially be greatest in 2026–2028. These include e-commerce and logistics, the banking sector and fintech, SaaS/IT products, defense technologies, education and EdTech, as well as the creative industries and knowledge services. However, in each of these sectors, most initiatives risk remaining at the pilot stage or limited to localized automation unless companies invest in data, infrastructure, and risk management.

Global Trend: Platforms, Clouds, Data Owners—and the Concentration of Risks

Materials from discussions at the 2026 World Economic Forum highlight that over the next five years, “platform companies”—owners of foundational models, cloud infrastructure, and large datasets—will benefit the most. Experts predict the emergence of a “new version of Big Tech” centered on AGI and agent systems, with an even greater concentration of market power. This presents not only opportunities but also the risk of Ukrainian businesses becoming dependent on a limited circle of global vendors.

This trend directly affects Ukraine: national LLMs, a partnership with NVIDIA, and the development of a sovereign AI infrastructure are intended to ensure the country has access to critical platform components, rather than merely acting as a consumer of foreign services. For businesses, this means that strategic alliances with cloud providers, AI platforms, and “data-rich” partners are becoming increasingly important, but it also necessitates contingency plans and strategies to manage dependence on their APIs, policies, and pricing.

Who, specifically, “benefits” within the Ukrainian economy?

Based on available data and global trends, we can identify several types of companies that are highly likely to succeed in 2026–2028 — provided they are able to systematically navigate setbacks and scale only those initiatives that actually deliver value:

• Platform players that build AI platforms, marketplaces, or ecosystems (for example, AI-SaaS platforms, low-code platforms with AI assistants, and cloud services).
• Companies with deep vertical expertise that integrate AI into their clients’ niche processes (industrial software, logistics, medical systems, financial services) and are capable of handling “complex” domain-specific data.
• AI-first startups that build their business models around agent-based systems, automation, and scalable SaaS from the outset, and are prepared to accept a high percentage of “dead-end” efforts in exchange for a few big hits.
• Traditional businesses (retail, logistics, manufacturing) that systematically digitize their processes, invest in data, and train people to work with AI tools—rather than limiting themselves to one-off experiments like “trying ChatGPT for content.”

Advantages of Early and Systemic Implementers

Surveys of Ukrainian businesses show that most companies are already using AI, at least on an ad hoc basis; however, those that implement it systematically—with clear goals, metrics, and process changes—are reaping the greatest benefits. These companies demonstrate increased productivity, shorter cycle times, and higher profitability thanks to the automation of routine tasks and enhanced analytics.

Experts at QZY Models point out that organizations that integrate AI with a strategic focus, leadership, and measurable results achieve the most significant benefits—ranging from accelerated decision-making to the creation of sustainable competitive advantages. For Ukraine, this is particularly relevant given the high market turbulence and the simultaneous opportunities for post-war reconstruction—but only if companies are willing to discontinue failed attempts and not keep “dead” AI projects on the books for years.

Risks and Limitations

Despite its high potential, there are a number of risks: a shortage of skilled personnel, ethical and regulatory challenges, cyber threats, and the risk of further market concentration around a few global AI platforms. Researchers in the digital economy emphasize that the war has worsened a number of indicators in the digital sector, which requires active government support for recovery and further development.

There is also a risk of “superficial implementation,” where companies use AI merely as a tool for content generation or local automation without changing their business processes or value creation model. In such cases, the competitive advantage is quickly eroded, since the same tools are available to all players.

To this, we should add a separate level of risk—AI governance and project management: without clear rules regarding data, accountability, success criteria, and “stop factors,” companies risk accumulating failed, but formally “active” AI initiatives that consume resources without delivering results.

Implications for Ukrainian Businesses

Available data suggests that between 2026 and 2028, the sectors most likely to benefit are those where AI can radically reduce operating costs, accelerate decision-making, and scale services: e-commerce, logistics, finance, SaaS/IT products, defense technologies, education, and the creative industries. The key difference among the winners is not the mere use of AI, but the depth of its integration into products, processes, and business models, as well as the ability to recognize and quickly discontinue unsuccessful initiatives.

For Ukrainian companies, the strategic steps for 2026–2028 are: conducting a process inventory and identifying areas with high ROI from automation, investing in data and its quality, building partnerships with AI platforms and cloud providers, and developing personnel capable of working in a “human + AI agent” mode. Equally important is implementing basic AI governance and risk management approaches to reduce the likelihood of ending up among the majority of failed AI projects and increase the chances of being among the minority that truly succeed.