Digital Wake-Up Call:
Artificial Intelligence is Already Part of Hungarian SMEs’ Daily Operations
The Future is Here: AI in Hungarian Businesses
The roundtable discussion held at the 2025 Bálványos Free Summer University and Student Camp clearly demonstrated that artificial intelligence application is no longer an optional supplement but a fundamental competitiveness factor in the Hungarian SME sector. The event organized by the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) showed through concrete examples how technology becomes tangible competitive advantage and efficiency-enhancing tool.
The discussion participants illustrated through personal experiences that AI is no longer a futuristic concept but everyday reality. László Kovács, CEO of Point Systems Zrt., for example, reported how artificial intelligence revolutionized banking system operations. Instead of tasks requiring study of 700-page documentation, AI now summarizes the essence and suggests concrete configuration steps, significantly accelerating work.
Concrete Applications and Results
Spectacular results have also been achieved in troubleshooting. After describing problems, artificial intelligence often offers ready-made fix codes that can quickly eliminate errors. This not only saves time but also reduces human resource requirements for routine tasks.
Csaba Rígó, President of the Hungarian Competition Authority, highlighted applications in education. They actively use AI in creating digital learning materials and interactive test systems. An artificial intelligence-driven avatar can already compress, present, and examine hundred-page learning materials, all in good quality. This is particularly important in OECD Regional Education Center training where both efficiency and quality are critical factors.
Tamás Szabó, Vice President of the BCCI Industrial Section, brought an even more radical example: a software project carried out exclusively with AI tools, where AI agents took over human developers’ roles in various development tasks. The project’s cost-effectiveness was stunning: they replaced potentially millions of forints in salary costs with a few hundred dollars in AI subscriptions.
Education Transformation
Gábor Kerékgyártó, master lecturer at Corvinus University and head of HCCI’s artificial intelligence working group, highlighted the transformation of university education methodology. The role of written assignments is radically decreasing since AI can efficiently solve these. In the future, education will focus on personal conversation and directing thinking – as he put it: “we return to the world of Greek philosophers.”
This change affects not only teaching methods but the entire paradigm of skill development. Emphasis shifts from memorizing factual knowledge to critical thinking, problem-solving, and efficient use of AI tools. This is particularly important for the SME sector where flexibility and adaptability are crucial.
The “Digital Wake-Up” Program
The HCCI’s “Digital Wake-Up” program, named by ChatGPT itself, provides a concrete answer to the SME sector’s AI-related challenges. The program’s goal is for entrepreneurs to try AI tools with trainer assistance in a safe environment – tailored to their own company tasks. This practical approach ensures that entrepreneurs not only become familiar with technology theoretically but also apply it in solving concrete business problems.
Seminars have already started within the initiative, for example, right at Tusványos. The training is comprehensible, practical, and open to all interested parties. This democratic approach ensures that not only larger, stronger capital businesses have access to AI advantages.
HCCI also launched a national training program: they made a three-hour AI course developed by Gábor Dénes University and STRT Holding mandatory for a thousand chamber staff, which concludes with a micro-certificate and is available at www.mijovunk.hu. Chamber staff who complete it can also receive corporate AI access for their work.
Challenges and Obstacles
Several discussion participants emphasized that while artificial intelligence is not a future issue but present reality, there is still significant lag in the SME sector compared to large companies. According to fresh research by GHV, Hungarian large companies already actively use AI, but smaller businesses’ lag is significant.
Main obstacles include lack of technological knowledge, access to adequate capital, shortage of specialists, and availability of databases needed for AI systems. Developing Hungarian-language databases and local AI systems is a particularly important challenge, especially in sensitive areas like law or healthcare.
Strategic Solutions
The solution is a combination of education, support, and local AI developments. The chamber system’s active involvement is crucial as it ensures support reaches the smallest businesses. Local developments guarantee that Hungarian-specific needs and language use are properly represented in AI systems.
The clear message from the discussion thoughts: Hungary has not only opportunity but also intention and organized strategy to make artificial intelligence truly part of the SME sector’s everyday life. The chamber system coordinated by the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry leads in this, helping businesses not only with training and support but also with its own digital developments and real services.
Future Perspectives
As one speaker put it: “The machine won’t take our jobs – but those who use it might take them from us.” This statement perfectly summarizes the current situation. AI is not a threat but a tool that, when used properly, can provide significant competitive advantage. The Hungarian SME sector now has the opportunity to catch up and even take a leading role in certain areas.
The pace of technological development is not slowing, so businesses must continuously adapt. Those who act now can shape the future. Those who delay will be forced to follow paths set by others. The “Digital Wake-Up” program and similar initiatives ensure that Hungarian businesses belong to the former category.