Published March 3, 2026
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Small businesses are leveraging AI to automate repetitive tasks like email, social media, and lead management to compete with larger companies. The founders discussed the appropriate use of AI, emphasizing the need for verified code, data ethics, and a focus on ROI. The panel also highlighted the potential of AI in streamlining operations, hiring and supply chain optimization, and cautioned against over-reliance on untested AI-generated code. The founders emphasized the importance of maintaining a customer-centric approach and human values in the age of AI.
why is it important
As AI becomes more accessible, small businesses can leverage the technology to level the playing field with larger competitors. However, founders must navigate AI implementation challenges such as data privacy, code reliability, and demonstrating tangible business value. This story highlights how entrepreneurial leaders are finding the right balance between AI automation and human judgment to drive growth.
detail
A panel discussion at the Imagination in Action event in Davis, California, featured founders who are leveraging AI to streamline their operations and gain a competitive edge. Anne Ouyang, CEO of performance optimization company Standard Kernel, spoke about the need to carefully validate code generated by AI, especially in mission-critical applications like kernel programming. Oisin Hanrahan, CEO of platform design company Keychain, explained how AI can optimize complex supply chain decisions by analyzing large amounts of data. Guy Assad, CEO of debt management platform Clerkie, shared how his company uses AI for tasks such as resume parsing, fraud detection, and gathering customer requirements.
- The Imagination in Action event took place last month in Davis, California.
- A panel discussion on founders using AI was part of the conference program.
players
Ouyang An
CEO of performance optimization company Standard Kernel.
Oisin Hanrahan
CEO and founder of Keychain, a platform design company.
Guy Assad
CEO of Clerkie, a company that builds debt infrastructure to streamline and automate debt repayments.
fraser anderson
Managing director of Link Ventures interviewed the founders.
zach resburg
Founder who gave advice on automating repetitive tasks at Small Business Expo.
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what they are saying
“Administrative tasks eat up valuable time. AI tools can schedule meetings, follow up on leads, and update records without manual effort. This reduces errors and frees your team to focus on higher-value work.”
— Zach Resburg, Founder (Small and Medium Enterprise Expo)
“For example, we rely heavily on Cursors, because they’re really helpful for a lot of productivity. But on the other hand, we’re very careful not to rely too much on unverified generated code, because a common pitfall in kernel programming is that if you run a kernel 1,000 or even 10,000 times, it might be right, but out of 100 runs, it might fail once.”
— Anne Ouyang, CEO of Standard Kernel (imagination in action)
“One of the things we realized is that these tools are very powerful and can naturally have a lot of operational impact. A lot of the operational impact that you actually see tends to be on the engineering side.”
— Guy Assad, Clerkie CEO (imagination in action)
“This is an optimization problem that requires a tremendous amount of information across 50,000 manufacturers around the world. You have to understand your specific product, what dimensions are needed to make that product successful, and what kind of products you want to make in the future, and then say, ‘Okay, choose the right vendor, choose the right partner, choose the right supply, How do you adjust the probability of all these things happening in the way that you manage the chain? Every part of that is important. If you want to do it manually, you can absolutely do it manually, or you can do it with an AI-assisted model.”
— Oisin Hanrahan, CEO and Founder of Keychain (imagination in action)
what’s next
The panel discussion highlighted the need for founders to carefully evaluate the use of AI in their business, with a focus on code reliability, data ethics, and demonstrating tangible ROI. As AI continues to evolve, small business leaders must remain vigilant in balancing the benefits of automation with the risks of over-reliance on untested AI-generated outputs.
Take-out
Small businesses can leverage AI to compete with larger companies by automating repetitive tasks and freeing up time for higher-value work. However, founders must approach AI implementation carefully, ensuring code reliability, data privacy, and a customer-centric approach that aligns with their core values. The human element remains important in the strategic use of AI to drive business growth.
