A new national survey conducted by the Public Private Strategies Institute finds that most small business owners expect benefits from AI. But AI adoption is slow as entrepreneurs look for clear use cases that don't jeopardize customer relationships.

"Small businesses are still figuring out what AI means for their day-to-day operations.  This research shows that most small business owners see AI’s potential but are unsure how to implement it effectively in their businesses.

"They’re looking for clear examples from people they trust of how AI can help with specific business challenges, and practical guidance about what to do. Business owners are not interested in technology for technology’s sake.”

— Rhett Buttle,  President, Public Private Strategies Institute

"Small businesses frequently differentiate themselves from competition through personal relationships and trust. While they see AI’s potential to improve efficiency, they’re wrestling with how to adopt these tools without losing the human connections that set them apart from larger competitors."

— Tammy Halevy,  Executive Director, Reimagine Main Street

"The bottom line is small business owners aren't resistant to AI — in fact, they're generally optimistic about its potential. But entrepreneurs need clear AI value propositions, custom use cases, and easy implementation paths, which don't really exist yet.”

— Rhett Buttle,  President, Public Private Strategies Institute

Methodology:

This survey was conducted from Dec. 11-15, 2024, among a sample of 331 small business owners. Small business owners are defined as owners, co-owners, partners, presidents, CEOs, and principals who work at businesses with 1-100 employees.