9 small business trends: Most feel AI is here to help

Miami Herald

4 days ago

Artificial intelligence (AI) represents a significant shift for small businesses, offering powerful tools to reduce costs and provide insights in a rapidly shifting economic landscape. This transformation has created a sense of urgency, with 61.3% of owners holding a positive outlook on the technology and many feeling the need to innovate.
To better understand how entrepreneurs are navigating this shift, Bluevine surveyed over 760 small business owners across the U.S. These insights can help you make more strategic decisions, ensuring your business survives and thrives in today's economy.
Key takeaways
70.6% of business owners with an optimistic economic outlook hold a positive view of AI, compared to just 43% of their pessimistic counterparts. Those who believe in the potential of AI are the most likely to adapt to market trends.The primary concerns for small businesses are inflation (71.4%) and rising operational costs (62.4%), which far outweigh concerns about technological risks, such as cybersecurity and AI risks (24.4%).Top uses for AI are marketing (39.4%) and data analysis (32.6%), while a clear majority of businesses (59.9%) have no plans for AI-driven layoffs.While many owners are frustrated by high interest rates and fees, security vulnerabilities remain the single most significant barrier (23.3%) to adopting new AI-driven financial tools.
1. Economically optimistic small business owners have a more positive outlook on AI
A majority of small business owners (61.3%) hold a favorable view of AI, but this optimism is closely tied to their economic outlook. Among owners who are optimistic about the economy, 70.6% have a positive opinion of AI. That number falls to just 43% for their pessimistic counterparts, showing a clear confidence gap between the two groups.
Adopting AI is often a matter of financial stability. Powerful AI tools can be a significant investment, and feeling secure about the future provides the confidence needed to make that commitment. This view creates a divide, where businesses with fewer resources may feel overshadowed by better-financed competitors who can afford to leverage AI, even if the technology itself could help them close that gap.
2. Small businesses with a positive view of AI have a greater sense of urgency to innovate
Half of all small business owners feel at least some pressure to adapt in response to AI, with 20.3% reporting a slight urgency, 16.8% moderate urgency, and 13.4% significant urgency. Among business owners who believe AI will be beneficial, 44.4% report a high sense of urgency to innovate. In contrast, only 11.3% of those with a negative view of AI feel the same level of pressure, suggesting that mindset is a driver of momentum.
Those who view AI as an opportunity are actively preparing for change, while those who see it as a threat or a distraction are more likely to maintain the status quo. This divide could be a critical factor in determining which businesses gain a competitive edge, indicating that perspective may be as important as the technology itself.
3. Businesses are far more concerned about economic pressures than cybersecurity risks
The most significant concerns for small businesses are inflation, cited by 71.4% of respondents, and rising operational costs, chosen by 62.4%. More modern threats lag far behind, with only 24.4% of business owners listing cybersecurity and AI risks as their top three concerns. This data shows that immediate financial health and cash flow concerns take priority over technological vulnerabilities.
This intense focus on day-to-day survival is a critical reality for small businesses. While it's essential to be aware of emerging digital risks, the primary battle for many business owners is still being fought on the balance sheet. The tangible impact of rising prices on supplies, rent, and payroll is a more urgent problem to solve than abstract future threats.
4. Widespread 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 are not planning for significant layoffs. A clear majority (59.9%) of businesses report having no plans to reduce their headcount as a result of AI. The most frequently cited department for potential cuts was marketing, at just 16% of all respondents, suggesting that AI is not currently seen as a large-scale replacement for employees.
Small businesses likely view AI more as an engine for growth and efficiency than a cost-cutting tool. The goal of adopting AI isn't to replace valuable team members but to expand their capabilities-freeing them from repetitive tasks to focus on more strategic work, such as customer service and sales.
5. Businesses are primarily leveraging AI as a tool for growth in marketing and sales
When it comes to implementing AI, small businesses are primarily focused on tools that can help them grow. The top two applications for AI are marketing and sales activities, cited by 39.4% of owners, and data analysis to generate business insights, reported by 32.6%. Across the last two years, internal data* from s Bluevine shows small business customers have seen a +436% increase in their use of ChatGPT and a +169% increase in other AI productivity tools.
Rather than just being a tool for simple automation, AI is increasingly trusted with complex, data-heavy problem-solving. A reliance on AI for data analysis showcases its growing intelligence and reliability, a notable change from early AI, which often struggled with accuracy. For a small business owner, this means AI can now be a trustworthy source for generating insights that were previously out of reach.
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6. Data security is the biggest barrier to adopting AI for financial management
While small businesses are adopting AI for growth, a different sentiment emerges when it comes to managing sensitive financial data: caution. The most significant barrier to adopting AI for financial operations is data security, with 23.3% of business owners citing security vulnerabilities as their top concern. Following closely behind is a concern for the accuracy and reliability of the technology, at 16.6%.
A single security incident can compromise customer information, drain accounts, and damage a company's reputation. This high-stakes environment means that before they can embrace AI for finance, business owners need assurance that the technology is accurate, reliable, and secure enough to protect their company from new and evolving threats.
7. AI adoption is strong in unexpected sectors, like construction trades
While discussions about AI often focus on tech companies and office work, our survey data shows that AI adoption is gaining significant traction in more traditional, hands-on industries. A striking 66% of business owners in the construction and trades sector report that they are either currently using or actively planning to use AI tools. This high rate of adoption suggests that AI applications extend far beyond desk jobs.
Other non-tech industries showing heavy AI adoption include:
Health and wellness: 86.5%Food and beverage: 80%Retail: 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 found among information, educational, and professional services, it continues to grow across a variety of industries. For any small business owner, there's an opportunity to find innovative ways to apply AI tools.
8. Small business owners believe AI is likely to revolutionize financial operations
When it comes to the future of financial management, small business owners believe AI will have an effect. The majority of small business owners (84.8%) anticipate that AI will impact or transform their financial operations within the next two to three years.
We may see a two-track evolution, where a large group of early adopters quickly integrates AI for small business budgeting and forecasting, potentially gaining an efficiency advantage. Meanwhile, fewer reserved businesses will maintain a more traditional approach, waiting for the technology to mature.
9. Small business owners have gripes about high interest rates and fees from banking providers
When it comes to banking providers, small business owners are highly sensitive to cost. The single most influential pain point for business owners is high interest rates on credit products, cited by 26.3% of respondents, and the number one reason they would actively switch to a new provider is excessive or non-transparent fees, at 24.1%.
Financial friction may be a key reason why small business owners are looking toward new technology for solutions. The appeal of AI-driven financial platforms and those that provide automated solutions often lies in their potential to be more transparent, efficient, and responsive than traditional banking models.
How to leverage emerging small business trends: Insights for financial growth and stability
The small business community is at a crossroads-optimistic about the potential of new technology like AI, yet still grounded by economic realities. Navigating this landscape requires a proactive strategy. Understanding these trends is the first step; the next is turning those insights into tangible efforts.
Here are a few factors to consider for your own business.
Assess your perspective on new technology: A positive outlook on AI correlates with a greater urgency to innovate. Consider whether your mindset is geared toward viewing new tools as an opportunity for growth or as a risk to be avoided.Prioritize AI applications that drive growth: Your peers see the most value from AI in marketing, sales, and data analysis. When exploring AI, focus on tools that can provide strategic insights in these areas or help you reach new customers.Scrutinize your banking solutions: There is a deep frustration with high interest rates and non-transparent fees. Regularly evaluate your banking provider to ensure its fee structure is clear and its technology is not creating friction. For example, you may be able to find a business checking plan with no monthly fees, or an online banking platform that uses technology to speed up the application review process.Use technology to combat economic pressures: Your biggest challenges are likely still economic, such as inflation and high operational costs. Look for modern financial tools that can help you with flow analysis, expense tracking, and the current money in your business checking account.
Methodology
The survey of 763 U.S. small business owners was conducted via Centiment Audience for Bluevine between June 2 and June 4, 2025. Data is unweighted and the margin of error is approximately +/-3% for the overall sample with a 95% confidence level.
This story was produced by Bluevine and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
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