The adoption of artificial intelligence among small and medium-sized businesses is creating a significant performance gap between AI-enabled companies and their traditional counterparts, according to new Salesforce research spanning 3,350 SMB leaders globally.
Key findings: A striking 91% of SMBs using AI attribute their revenue growth directly to the technology, while a clear divide emerges between growing and declining businesses in terms of AI adoption.
- Among SMBs experiencing growth, 83% have implemented AI solutions, compared to only 55% of businesses facing revenue decline
- 78% of growing SMBs plan to increase their AI investments in 2025
- AI-enabled companies report improvements in both customer-facing and internal operations
Primary use cases: SMBs are implementing AI across multiple business functions to enhance efficiency and customer experience.
- Marketing teams are using AI to optimize campaigns and automate content creation
- Sales teams leverage AI for personalized prospecting emails and lead scoring
- Customer service operations benefit from AI-powered chatbots and faster case resolution
- Natural language search capabilities improve information accessibility
- AI enables personalized product and service recommendations
Implementation challenges: Security and data quality emerge as primary concerns for SMBs adopting AI technology.
- 81% of business leaders express willingness to pay premium prices for technology from trusted vendors
- Growing SMBs are prioritizing data management investments (74%)
- 66% of companies are working to integrate their tech stacks to address data silos
- Poor quality data inputs can significantly impact AI performance
Expert perspective: Leadership at Salesforce emphasizes AI’s role in creating competitive parity between SMBs and larger enterprises.
- Kris Billmaier, EVP at Salesforce, notes that AI is “leveling the playing field” between SMBs and larger enterprises
- Early adopters are building significant advantages over competitors who delay implementation
- Autonomous AI agents are emerging as a promising tool for scaling operations while maintaining quality
Future implications: The research suggests an expanding divide between AI-enabled and traditional SMBs, with early adopters positioned for sustained competitive advantage through improved operational efficiency and enhanced customer relationships, while those delaying implementation risk falling further behind in an increasingly technology-driven market landscape.
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