Skopje, 22 January 2026 (MIA) - North Macedonia lags significantly behind the European Union average, as well as behind Balkan markets in terms of the country's preparedness for AI-supported e-commerce.  

The AI ​​Preparedness Index (AIPI), developed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2023 to assess how ready countries are to adopt artificial intelligence in a sustainable and inclusive manner, ranks North Macedonia with an average score of 0.48.

European countries including Denmark, Estonia and The Netherlands top the rankings with a score of over 0.76, whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina shows the best results among the Western Balkan countries. 

According to the Macedonian E-Commerce Association (AETM), this indicates that the country's business ecosystem still lacks the capacity to fully leverage AI in e-commerce for personalization, automation, data analytics, logistics, and risk management. The main constraints are related to digital infrastructure, innovation capacity, and integration in the global digital economy, though there are positive signals in the area of ​​human capital and labour market adaptation.

"E-commerce in North Macedonia is experiencing strong growth. However, the next phase must be focused on quality, trust and sustainable development, rather than quantity only. AI is not a technology of the future, it is a reality today, redefining digital economy. Our task is to help e-retailers, institutions and consumers be prepared for this transformation by bringing together key trends and continuous education, initiatives and campaigns," said AETM president Nina Angelovska Stankov. 

On the other hand, data in the 2025 Western Balkans e-commerce overview, prepared by the E-Commerce Association, shows that 63.2 percent of internet users in the country shopped online in 2024, which positions North Macedonia among the leading markets in the region in terms of online shopper participation, although it is still below the European average. 

Photo: AETM