Assessing AI Adoption and Digitalization in SMEs: A Framework for Implementation

Abstract: The primary objective of this research is to examine the current state of digitalization and the integration of AI within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Italy. There is a significant gap between SMEs and large corporations in their use of AI, with SMEs facing numerous barriers to adoption. This study identifies critical drivers and obstacles to achieving intelligent transformation, proposing a framework model to address key challenges and provide actionable guidelines