By Jodi Duva

AI is anything but exclusive to large organizations. Today, many AI solutions are designed to be budget-friendly, easy to integrate and tailored to small business users. In fact, AI has become a practical and valuable tool for small businesses across industries, helping them innovate, streamline operations and stay competitive.

Cox Business’s recent Small Business Survey found more small businesses are deploying AI in everyday business operations. Two-thirds of those surveyed invested in AI for their company already, while 53% of owners planned to invest even more in AI in the year ahead.

Small business owners are using AI to increase profitability (41%), enhance productivity (41%) and improve customer experience (33%). To do this, small business owners are specifically using AI in marketing, sales and customer service. For example, AI is being used for online product and service recommendations, order placement, live website chatbots and customer service calls.

While AI isn’t the silver bullet for small business success, it certainly enables entrepreneurs who often end up wearing many – if not all – hats to stay ahead of the competition, offer better customer experiences and scale faster without significant overhead.

Owners often take on the chief AI operator role

Eighty-five percent of small business owners and 72% of employees are comfortable using AI tools in the workplace. And while 62% of owners have provided training for employees around using AI in the past, 76% don’t plan to offer an AI training course for employees.

With three out of four small business owners saying they are also responsible for implementing and managing AI at their company, it’s critical for their teams to be trained and confident using the latest business technologies. Wherever possible, entrepreneurs should look to incorporate ongoing tech training and education—not only for themselves but for their teams, too.

Taking this a step further, relying on a trusted third party to serve as a tech advisor or AI implementation partner can help lighten the load. According to an IDC survey of North American IT leaders, the IT skills gap affects businesses across all industries and regions. By 2026, it’s expected to become a global issue, potentially costing companies $5.5 trillion in lost revenue. Having support in place to navigate the rapidly changing tech landscape can be a strategic advantage.

AI as an efficiency multiplier

Among its benefits, AI improves efficiency by automating repetitive tasks like data entry, freeing up teams to focus on higher-value duties. Tools like chatbots and recommendation engines can also help small businesses deliver personalized, round-the-clock customer service.

AI also enhances decision-making. By quickly analyzing large amounts of data, AI can reveal insights that would otherwise take days—or even weeks—to gather manually. This technological solution enables faster and more informed business decisions, particularly in areas related to customer behavior, inventory planning and market trends.

That said, tapping into AI’s full potential still requires the right foundation, especially for small business owners. Reliable, high-speed network connectivity and secure cloud infrastructure are no longer luxuries—they’re prerequisites for AI integration as more tools become cloud-based.

The bottom line

AI helps small teams do more with less—and do it smarter. As these tools improve and become more user friendly, small businesses that embrace them now are positioning themselves not just to compete, but to lead.

Because AI is more than a trend. It’s fast becoming a must-have tool in a small business owner’s toolkit.

Jodi Duva is the California Market Vice President for Cox Business including the San Diego Region. She previously was the Director of Sales for Cox Business in San Diego for more than 10 years. She resides in Orange County and San Diego.

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