Sage has launched the iA Transformation Funds in Spain, a program with 3.5 million euros to support projects that use artificial intelligence (AI) to resolve the specific needs of small and medium-sized companies, professional offices and consultancies. The initiative, which is now available, aims to facilitate the incorporation of these technologies into daily business activity, especially in areas such as financial management, accounting, human resources or customer relations.
The launch responds to a situation in which interest in artificial intelligence does not always translate into real applications within companies. Although SMEs represent 99.8% of the Spanish business fabric, only 9% use AI technologies, according to data from the INE/DIRCE and EY Insights from 2026. This situation is also reflected in the global study Sage Global SME AI Research, which indicates that half of small and medium-sized companies have not yet incorporated these tools into their daily activities.
Among the main obstacles to advancing this transformation are the lack of knowledge or trust within the teams, a difficulty noted by 46% of the companies consulted. Added to this are concerns about data privacy (36%) and lack of knowledge about how to start using these technologies (35%).
Beyond the expectations raised by artificial intelligence, the real challenge for companies is to find applications that allow them to solve specific problems. Automating administrative tasks, reducing manual work, improving financial control or streamlining accounting processes are some of the needs that can benefit from these tools. In this sense, the difficulty lies not only in accessing technology, but in identifying which processes should be transformed and what results can be obtained.
The iA Transformation Funds aim to facilitate this process through financial support and project guidance. The initiative also responds to one of the demands included in the Sage study: 29% of SMEs consider that having incentives or financial aid would be the main incentive to incorporate artificial intelligence into their business.
To participate, companies must identify a need for their activity, such as streamlining accounting management, simplifying administrative tasks or improving treasury monitoring. From there, Sage studies each proposal and determines its suitability to the conditions of the program, guiding interested parties on the available possibilities.
Five areas to apply artificial intelligence
The program contemplates five areas of application in which artificial intelligence can contribute to improving the management of companies and professional offices.
- Accounting and electronic billing. Automation of accounting processes, improvement of the integrity of records and adaptation to new tax obligations, including Verifactu and electronic invoices.
- Financial management and treasury. Greater control over cash movements, streamlining of monthly closings and availability of information to anticipate possible financial needs.
- Enterprise resource planning (ERP). Integration of daily operations, reduction of errors derived from data management and improvement of coordination between the different areas of SMEs.
- Human resources and people management. Automation of repetitive administrative tasks to reduce the workload of departments and facilitate team management.
- Customer relations (CRM) and evolution of the professional office. Improvement of commercial monitoring and customer service, as well as incorporation of new analysis capabilities so that advisors can offer services with greater added value.
Within these areas, the proposal also contemplates the use of artificial intelligence assistants, such as Sage Copilot, to facilitate certain tasks and improve access to information. Its application, however, requires reliable data and sufficiently organized processes, two aspects that determine the use of these technologies in companies.
Security and confidence to adopt AI
The protection of information is another factor that will determine the speed of incorporation of artificial intelligence into the business environment. According to the Sage study, 61% of SMEs would use these tools more frequently if providers certified that they meet recognized standards of security, transparency and data protection.
The traceability of data, the possibility of knowing the origin of the information and control over automated decisions are elements that must prevail in these solutions
The concern is especially relevant in companies that handle financial, tax or labor information of their clients and employees. The traceability of data, the possibility of knowing the origin of the information and control over automated decisions are elements that must accompany the incorporation of these solutions. They also acquire importance in light of the regulatory changes that affect business management in Spain.
José Luis Martín Zabala, Managing Director of Sage Iberia, points out that “this is not a story about technology, but about trust. We have been helping companies and offices in Spain to adapt, grow and move forward safely for more than forty years. We have experienced it in every important change, as happened with the SII, with TicketBAI and now with the deployment of the electronic invoice and Verifactu. Today we take another step with artificial intelligence and launch these 3.5 million euros of the iA Transformation Funds so that taking the step towards AI in business is a simple, practical decision backed by reliable data, not an act of faith. Because innovating is not about believing, it is about trusting.
The initiative will also be presented at some of the main business and technological meetings that will be held in Spain in the coming weeks. Sage will be present at Madrid Tech Show, on November 4 and 5, and at Accountex Spain and HR Expo, which will take place on November 18 and 19. These events will show examples of the application of artificial intelligence aimed at SMEs, professional offices and companies in the sector.
