AI as a prerequisite for future prosperity

AI plays a key role in sustaining growth, innovation, and prosperity in the decades ahead, according to the recently published Wennink report. PwC experts Mona de Boer and Edwin van Bommel outline the opportunities and the preconditions that lie ahead on this path.

On Friday, 14 December, the Wennink report was published, aligning with the AI Delta Plan and the plan of the AI Coalition 4NL (AIC4NL). It makes clear that the Netherlands stands at a crossroads when it comes to critical technologies, including AI, that will determine our strategic relevance, productivity, and future prosperity.

The report shows that, in principle, the Netherlands has a strong foundation. We have a rich knowledge infrastructure, a mature start-up ecosystem, a strong focus on public values, and a long tradition of collaboration between government, knowledge institutions, and the private sector. At the same time, this foundation is under pressure, and choices must now be made in the areas of digitalization, infrastructure, talent, and the innovation ecosystem.

AI as a driver of productivity

As the report indicates, AI can play a key role in increasing labour productivity. This is essential in an economy facing population aging, structural labour mshortages, and rising costs.

At the same time, we must be realistic about where the Netherlands stands today. The global AI industry is currently operating at full speed in the United States and China. In the Netherlands, however, relatively few companies are competing at that level. With ASML, we are at the absolute world top in machines for chip production, and we are involved in semiconductor manufacturing. But in the layers above (data centres, cloud infrastructure, and AI software) we are falling behind.

This brings risks. In many critical AI layers, there are hardly any Dutch or even European alternatives. Excessive digital dependence makes us vulnerable, not only economically, but also socially. Consider the impact on payment systems, railways, or aviation. For example, problems at the American cybersecurity company CrowdStrike caused chaos at Schiphol Airport last summer.

The challenge, as Wennink states, is to grow in those tech domains where the Netherlands is not yet represented and to create the right preconditions for this. This starts with strong education and a healthy investment climate, in which startups do not have to rely exclusively on investors from outside Europe after their first or second funding rounds. This is not only a Dutch problem, but a European one. We therefore need more European cooperation and more harmonized regulation to make this possible.

From technology to business transformation

The report rightly emphasises that the Dutch AI industry needs to be stimulated. But at least as important is the application of AI. In this area, there is still a great deal of untapped potential in the Netherlands. This is partly due to an aversion to AI that appears somewhat stronger in the Netherlands than in other countries. At the same time, it is noticeable that executives are becoming increasingly impatient and are questioning whether AI can and should be adopted faster. This is a welcome development.

For executives, it is important to realise that AI is not a classic technology implementation. It is, in essence, organisational change. It requires new ways of working, different decision-making processes, and new skills. This means organisations must start now, even if not every technology is fully mature. Waiting until everything is ‘proven’ is not an option. Those who do not start now will soon lack the agility needed to scale AI capabilities responsibly.

So far, most value has been realised with predictive AI. The impact of generative AI is growing rapidly, but the number of organisations that are deploying this technology at scale is still limited. This creates opportunities for organisations that dare to invest now.

Applying, not just developing

If you ask how organisations can make real progress with AI, those that are leading the way show several clear patterns:

• Executive conviction
  The board of directors believes in AI and embraces an explicit AI-first vision. Initiatives are given room to scale.
• Clear value orientation
  There is a sharp view on where AI creates value: cost reduction, growth, or risk management —depending on the sector and the stage of the company.
• Clear risk tolerance
  Leaders have clear frameworks for what is and is not allowed, including ethics and compliance. Ambiguity leads to delays.
• Standardisation and scalability
  By reusing standard technologies and applying clear assessment processes, organizations significantly accelerate their AI implementations.
• Investing in people and ecosystems
  Not building everything in-house, but collaborating with software vendors, startups, and knowledge partners, while simultaneously investing heavily in internal AI skills.
• Data quality and legacy management
  Continuous attention to data quality and modernisation of the IT landscape, always driven by value.

The strategic opportunity of Responsible AI

The challenge now, as Wennink observes, is how organisations can combine Responsible AI with the need to move fast. The Netherlands ranks number one worldwide in the Global Index on Responsible AI (2024). This is no coincidence, but the result of a strong focus on public values, transparency, and collaboration.

These very principles are crucial for AI applications in domains with major societal impact, such as healthcare, safety, energy, and climate. Only AI that is perceived as trustworthy will create the support needed for large-scale adoption. By investing now in Responsible AI, and in the skills of people to use this technology responsibly, the Netherlands can help shape AI in areas where it truly matters.

Preconditions: daring to make choices

As the Wennink report indicates, strong preconditions are crucial to growth ambitions. If we believe in the importance of strategic autonomy, we will need data centres in the Netherlands—preferably operated by Dutch or European companies.

And if we want mega data centres, we will also have to be willing to make trade-offs and find good solutions to the objections that still exist. The same applies to attracting talent. We must invest in this as well, starting with non-technical education programs. After all, it is just as important for a lawyer or a technician to understand the impact of AI on their work.

The role of government

The government, in turn, can play a stimulating role in the investment climate needed to give the economy the desired boost. Many funds are available in the Netherlands at different levels. It would be beneficial to consolidate them into one powerful fund, in line with the idea of establishing a national investment bank, as mentioned in the report.

In the meantime, we should of course not wait for the government. As the business community, we must take the initiative ourselves, because even within the current frameworks there is much to be gained. And sometimes progress requires pushing boundaries.

The Wennink report is therefore not an end point, but a clear starting point with a strong call to action. For organisations that want to move forward, the assignment is clear: embrace AI strategically, invest with focus, and accelerate adoption. Not tomorrow, but today.