Surge in AI Adoption Among Small Businesses Outpaces Enterprise Uptake

Adoption of AI among small businesses has accelerated sharply in 2025–2026, with more than three-quarters of small business owners reporting that someone in their organization is now using AI tools—a dramatic shift from near-zero usage just a few years ago. The adoption surge reflects a fundamental change in how small enterprises approach productivity and automation, even as actual spending remains modest and implementation often stays limited to free or low-cost tools.