Most German Firms Still Rely on Spreadsheets as AI Tools Gather Dust, Study Finds

Study finds 52% of German mid-sized companies see AI as opportunity but only 13% use it; new energy and building management systems debut alongside rising cybersecurity threats.

A sharp disconnect between ambition and action is playing out across German workplaces. While 52 percent of mid-sized companies see artificial intelligence as an opportunity, just 13 percent have integrated AI tools into their daily operations, according to a study by iVox and Teamleader. Instead, 72 percent continue to lean on classic spreadsheet software like Excel. More than half—54 percent—say they simply cannot identify where AI could actually be applied.

The findings come as a wave of new building and energy-management technologies hit the market, underscoring the gap between what is available and what companies actually deploy. At the CAFM trade fair in Fulda, the pit Group, together with partners, unveiled the pitEcoSystem+, a platform that bundles CAD, Building Information Modeling (BIM) and energy management. A key feature is its support for openBIM alongside SAP interfaces, and a new web viewer that renders 2D and 3D CAD drawings directly in a browser—intended to simplify access for facility managers.

Meanwhile, several manufacturers showcased hardware designed to improve indoor climate and energy efficiency. Condair introduced Vita Power, a new generation of high-pressure nozzle humidifiers aimed at workplace environments. The system covers a capacity range of 0.9 to 53 litres per hour and includes multistage water treatment; its IoT module, Condair Connect, enables remote monitoring and optimised maintenance. bluMartin presented freeAir, a decentralised ventilation unit that claims heat recovery rates above 90 percent. The system operates on demand, controlling both fresh air intake and humidity, and requires only a single wall opening—making it suitable for both new builds and renovations.

In the energy sector, Hager announced that it will present its flow R3 energy management system at the "The smarter E Europe" fair in Munich from 23 to 25 June. The system uses an AI module called AI360 to optimise power flows. In cooperation with metergrid, Hager has also developed a solution for tenant electricity models that covers commercial units. Zendure, another player, introduced its SolarFlow Mix series of modular storage units for photovoltaic systems on Sunday; the system can store up to 50 kWh and relies on the ZENKI AI to manage charging and discharging based on dynamic electricity tariffs from the EEX. M-TEC showed the ENERGY-HERO, a smart feed-in meter that connects heat pumps, storage units and PV arrays, and will be available for integration into existing ecosystems from September.

Yet technology alone does not solve implementation problems—and it introduces new ones. A Gartner analysis has identified deepfakes, prompt-injection attacks and vulnerabilities in software supply chains as critical threats to AI-supported systems. Security researchers at Mandiant reported that in the first half of 2026 they observed attempts using social engineering and physical intrusion to gain access to corporate data. Experts stress that modern building automation requires comprehensive governance and specific security policies, but current surveys indicate that only 20 percent of companies have fully implemented such frameworks.