73% of Small Businesses Are Leveraging AI, Study Finds – ContentBoost

73% of Small Businesses Are Leveraging AI, Study Finds

A new study shows 73% of small businesses are using AI, with 83% believing it will boost productivity and reduce costs. Key areas include marketing and document management.

February 20, 2026 2 min read

73% of Small Businesses Are Leveraging AI, Study Finds

New research from Tri Counties Bank shows 73% of small businesses are now using artificial intelligence (AI), with 20% applying it extensively. The study highlights AI’s growing role in boosting productivity, cutting costs, and automating tasks.

The study surveyed small business owners, revealing widespread optimism about AI’s benefits. An impressive 83% of participants believe AI will have a positive impact on their operations, with key applications focused on enhancing accuracy, generating reports, and improving profitability. Marketing, data entry, and document management emerged as the most common AI-supported functions.

How Small Businesses Are Applying AI

The report highlights various ways small businesses are integrating AI:

  • 73% are already using AI, with 20% adopting it extensively.
  • 83% expect AI to positively impact their businesses.
  • Top uses include marketing, data entry, and document management.
  • Predicted labor cost savings range from 6–20% for the majority.

Why Small Businesses Are Turning to AI

Small businesses are leveraging AI to automate routine tasks, improve efficiency, and reduce overheads. Many owners aim to maximize time spent on growth-oriented activities while minimizing costly manual processes. AI tools now give even smaller teams access to sophisticated capabilities that were once limited to larger corporations.

This shift in AI adoption is timely for sectors like website development and content marketing. For instance, those managing WordPress site clients or creating SEO strategies can benefit from AI’s role in automating data-driven decision-making while personalizing content for target audiences.

AI Search Optimization is one tool that can help streamline digital growth strategies effectively.

Source: Stock Titan

Source: Stock Titan

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