NEW YORK – Artificial Intelligence (AI) represents a major change for small and medium-sized businesses, providing powerful tools to reduce costs and provide insight into the rapidly changing economic situation. This transformation has created a sense of urgency, with 61.3% of owners looking positive about technology, and many feel the need to innovate.
To better understand how entrepreneurs are navigating this shift, Bluevine surveyed more than 760 small business owners across the United States. These insights will help you make more strategic decisions and ensure that your business will survive and thrive in today's economy.
Key takeout
- 70.6% of business owners with optimistic economic outlook have a positive view of AI compared to just 43% of their pessimistic counterparts. Those who believe in the possibilities of AI are most likely to adapt to market trends.
- The main concerns for SMEs are inflation (71.4%) and rising operating costs (62.4%). This is far more concerned about technical risks, such as cybersecurity and AI risks (24.4%).
- The top uses of AI are marketing (39.4%) and data analytics (32.6%), but the vast majority of companies (59.9%) do not have plans for AI-driven layoffs.
- While many owners are unhappy with high interest rates and fees, security vulnerabilities remain the most important barrier to adopting new AI-driven financial tools (23.3%).
1. Economically optimistic SME owners have a more positive view of AI
While a majority of small business owners (61.3%) have a positive view of AI, this optimism is closely tied to their economic outlook. Among owners who are optimistic about the economy, 70.6% have positive opinions about AI. That number is categorized as just 43% for their pessimistic counterpart, indicating a clear gap in trust between the two groups.
Adopting AI is often a matter of economic security. Powerful AI tools can be a big investment, and feeling safe about the future gives you the confidence you need to make that commitment. This view creates gaps that companies with fewer resources may feel hidden from competitors who can afford to leverage AI, even if technology itself helps bridge that gap.
2. Small businesses with a positive view of AI have a sense of urgency to innovate
Half of all SME owners feel at least some pressure to adapt according to their AI, with 20.3% reporting a slight urgency, 16.8% moderate urgency, and 13.4% severe urgency. Among business owners who believe AI is beneficial, 44.4% report a sense of urgency to innovate. In contrast, only 11.3% of people with negative AI views feel the same level of pressure, suggesting that thinking is the driving force behind momentum.
Those who view AI as an opportunity are actively preparing for change, while those who view it as a threat or distraction are more likely to maintain the status quo. This disparity can be a key factor in determining which companies will gain competitiveness, indicating that perspectives can be just as important as the technology itself.
3. Companies are more interested in economic pressure than cybersecurity risks
The most important concern for small and medium-sized businesses is inflation, cited by 71.4% of respondents, with an increase in operating costs of 62.4%. More modern threats are lagging behind, with only 24.4% of business owners listing cybersecurity, with AI taking risks as the top three concerns. This data shows that immediate financial health and cash flow concerns take precedence over technology vulnerabilities.
A focus on daily survival is an important reality for small businesses. While recognizing new digital risks is essential, the main battle for many business owners is still being fought on the balance sheet. The concrete impact of price increases on consumables, rents and salaries is a more urgent issue to resolve than abstract future threats.
4. Wide range of AI-driven layoffs are not on the horizon for small businesses
Despite widespread speculation about the impact of AI on the workforce, most small business owners have not planned any significant layoffs. A clear majority (59.9%) of companies report that they have no plans to reduce their staffing as a result of AI. The sector most frequently cited for potential reductions is Marketing, which is only 16% of all respondents, suggesting that AI is not currently considered a large alternative to employees.
Small and medium-sized businesses may view AI as an engine of growth and efficiency rather than a cost-cutting tool. The goal of adopting AI is not to replace valuable team members, or expand your capabilities, but to free them from repetitive tasks and focus on more strategic tasks like customer service and sales.
5. Companies primarily use AI as a tool for marketing and sales growth
When it comes to AI implementation, small and medium-sized businesses are primarily focused on tools that help them grow. The top two applications of AI are marketing and sales activities cited by 39.4% of owners and data analysis to generate business insights with 32.6% of reports. Over the past two years, S Bluevine's internal data* shows that SMEs have seen a +436% increase in ChATGPT usage and a 169% increase in other AI productivity tools.
AI is increasingly trusted in complex, data-rich problem solving rather than simple automation tools. The reliance on AI for data analysis demonstrates its growing intelligence and reliability. This is a noticeable change from early AI, and often suffers from accuracy. For small business owners, this means that AI can become a reliable source of information to generate insights that have previously been out of reach.
6. Data security is the biggest barrier to adopting AI for financial management
SMEs employ AI for growth, but there is another sentiment when it comes to managing sensitive financial data: caution. Data security is the most important barrier to adopting AI for financial operations, with 23.3% of business owners citing security vulnerabilities as their biggest concern. What follows closely behind is concerns about the accuracy and reliability of the 16.6% of technology.
A single security incident can compromise customer information, discharge accounts, and damage the reputation of a company. This high-stakes environment means that before accepting AI for finance, business owners need to ensure that technology is accurate, reliable and in good condition to protect the company from new and evolving threats.
7. AI adoption is powerful in unexpected sectors like construction transactions
While AI discussions often focus on high-tech companies and office work, our research data shows that AI adoption has gained greater traction in more traditional and practical industries. 66% of employers in the construction and trade sector report that they are either currently using AI tools or actively using them. This high adoption rate suggests that AI applications are far beyond desk jobs.
Other non-technology industries that demonstrate heavy AI adoption include:
- Health and Wellness: 86.5%
- Food and Drinks: 80%
- Retailer: 70.1%
AI is a versatile tool with tangible benefits for a wide range of business operations. Bluevine's internal data shows that while the highest AI adoption is seen among information, education and professional services, it continues to grow in a variety of industries. For small business owners, there is an opportunity to find innovative ways to apply AI tools.
8. Small business owners believe that AI is likely to revolutionize financial operations
In the future of financial management, small business owners believe that AI will be effective. The majority of small business owners (84.8%) expect AI to impact or transform financial operations within the next two to three years.
You may see the evolution of two tracks. There, large groups of early adopters could quickly integrate AI for budgeting and forecasting for small business enterprises, achieving an efficiency advantage. On the other hand, fewer businesses are booked, and they are continuing to maintain a more traditional approach and waiting for technology to mature.
9. SME owners complain about high interest rates and fees from bank providers
When it comes to bank providers, small business owners are very sensitive to costs. The only problem that is most influential for business owners is the high interest rates on credit products cited by 26.3% of respondents, and the biggest reason for actively switching to new providers is the 24.1% excess or non-transparent fee.
Economic friction may be the main reason small business owners are turning to new technologies in their solutions. The appeal of AI-driven financial platforms and the appeal of providing automated solutions are often in the potential to be more transparent, efficient and responsive than traditional banking models.
How to harness new SME trends: Insights into financial growth and stability
The small business community is at a crossroads. They are optimistic about the possibilities of new technologies like AI, but are based on economic realities. Navigating this landscape requires a proactive strategy. Understanding these trends is the first step. Next is to turn these insights into concrete efforts.
Several factors to consider for your own business:
- We will assess your perspective on new technology: The positive outlook for AI is correlated with an increased urgency towards innovation. Think about whether your thinking is directed at viewing new tools as opportunities for growth or as risks to avoid.
- Prioritize AI applications that drive growth. Your peers are the most valuable from AI in marketing, sales and data analytics. When exploring AI, focus on tools that will help you provide strategic insights in these areas and reach new customers.
- Scrutinize your bank's solutions: There is a deep dissatisfaction with high interest rates and non-transparent fees. Periodically evaluate your bank provider to ensure that the fee structure is clear and that the technology does not create friction. For example, you may be able to find a business check plan at no monthly fee, or an online banking platform that uses technology to speed up the application review process.
- Using technology to combat economic pressure: Your biggest challenges can still be economical, including inflation and high operating costs. Find the latest financial tools that can help you with flow analysis, cost tracking, and current money in your business checking account.
Methodology: A survey of 763 US SME owners was conducted from June 2 to June 4, 2025 via the Solo Vine St. Audience. The data is unweighted, with the margin of error being about +/- 3% across samples with a confidence level of 95%.
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