THE STATE OF AI FOR SMALL BUSINESS
Most small businesses are using AI.
Almost none are using it strategically.
A free quarterly report on how small businesses are actually using AI — based on government surveys, industry research, and current data. No hype. No vendor talking points.
10 PAGES
14 SOURCES
READ IN 8 MINUTES
USE AI
63%
of small businesses use AI in some form
INTEGRATE AI
46%
of small employer firms use AI in operations
DAILY USE
25%
have integrated AI into daily operations
HAVE A STRATEGY
~8%
operate with a documented AI strategy
INSIDE THIS EDITION
Four sections. The questions every small business owner is asking.
01
Where We Actually Are
Adoption is mainstream — 46% of small employer firms now use AI. For the first time in any technology cycle, small businesses are closing the gap on large enterprises. The ‘should I use AI’ question is over.
02
The 80% Problem
Most AI projects fail to deliver business value — at twice the rate of conventional IT projects. The cause isn’t the technology. RAND, Gartner, MIT, and Grant Thornton all point to the same thing: missing strategy.
03
The Explorer Trap
51% of small business owners are testing AI without a strategy. They stay busy. They look productive. But the data is clear: exploration without strategy plateaus within 18 months, while businesses with a strategy compound. Activity is not impact.
04
What Is Actually Working
When small businesses have a strategy, the data is unambiguous. Productivity, sales, time saved, and revenue growth — across every 2025-2026 study, the same pattern keeps appearing.
AI does not reward experimentation. It rewards strategy.
FROM SECTION 04
GET THE REPORT
Read the highlights free. Get the full report.
The key findings are above. For the complete Q1 2026 report — all the data, all the recommendations, and the full strategic playbook — enter your email and we’ll send you the PDF. You’ll also get the Q2 2026 edition in July.
JS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joe Sleeman
Joe is a serial entrepreneur with 30+ years starting, scaling, selling, and growing small businesses. He is the author of Co-Creating the Future, founder of Find Your Move™, and creator of the AI Strategy Plan. Joe teaches AI Strategy through Find Your Move™ Academy.
