Basque Country Digital Economy and Society. DESI 2025

Abstract

This report analyses the Basque Country’s position within the European digitalisation process, based on the updated DESI 2025. The study examines the main dimensions of digital transformation – skills, infrastructure, businesses and public services – and, as a new feature, includes a specific analysis of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. The results show that the Basque Country maintains a favourable position compared with the EU-27 average, underpinned by a solid foundation of digital infrastructure, an adequate level of digital skills and a relatively high degree of digitalisation of public services. In the business sector, strong performance is evident in data analytics, digital intensity and e-commerce amongst SMEs. However, the adoption of advanced digital technologies still lies below the EU-27 average. The analysis of artificial intelligence reveals a mixed picture of adoption, influenced by company size, sectoral specialisation and the capabilities available for its implementation, with its use focused primarily on improving operational efficiency. At the same time, cybersecurity has reached a relatively high level of development, although challenges remain regarding the improvement of advanced capabilities, risk management and the organisational integration of security practices. In conclusion, the report highlights the need to accelerate the adoption of advanced digital technologies, strengthen the development of specialised talent and consolidate collaborative ecosystems that facilitate a more even distribution of digital capabilities across the Basque business sector