AI Value Creation and Open-Weight Models
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Europe’s AI strategy has focused heavily on expanding computing capacity and developing advanced models. Whether these investments generate economic benefits depends on how firms use AI and which capabilities they actually need. Our study examines these questions in software production, consumer banking and private equity. It finds that the strongest evidence for value creation comes from cost advantages through higher productivity. The potentially greater benefits of differentiation remain largely unrealised, pointing to the need for a more strategic use of AI. The study also shows that leading open-weight models offer credible alternatives to proprietary models for many applications, often at substantially lower access prices. This creates opportunities for European firms to retain more of the value they generate with AI. However, tighter licences, declining competition among inference providers and insufficient financing for future model development could threaten these advantages.
Source: Bertelsmann Stiftung
DOI: 10.11586/2026144
Authors: Sieker, Felix, Schulze, Max
Institution: Bertelsmann Stiftung
Language: English
Subfield: Strategy and Management
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225637258
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