New Stax data reveals that 80% of SMBs have turned to AI in place of outside professional expertise, but adoption is mixed
For small and medium-sized business (SMB) merchants, success depends on making the most of limited resources. With lean teams that often have employees wearing multiple hats, every hour saved on routine tasks is an hour that can be spent on deepening customer relationships, supporting employees, and driving long-term business growth.
AI tools can help unlock this kind of new efficiency. But how are SMB merchants actually putting AI to work today? And how much is the technology delivering on expectations?
To gauge where SMBs are in their AI adoption journey, Stax surveyed technology decision-makers at 500 U.S.-based SMB merchants. The findings reveal strong confidence in AI’s value while pointing to key factors, from trust to internal readiness, that will determine whether early success translates into lasting value.
Key findings
- The majority of SMB merchants (80%) have used AI for a task they would have otherwise hired or consulted a professional to help with, but adoption is higher in lower-risk business functions.
- SMBs overwhelmingly report positive outcomes from AI, with more than 90% saying it helps them make decisions more quickly, feel more confident in their work, and better serve customers.
- While 80% of SMBs expect to increase their AI use over the next six months, past AI experiences significantly influence future adoption plans, underscoring the need for thoughtful implementation to drive long-term ROI.
Insight 1: Trust determines where AI fits
SMB merchants are actively embracing AI as a substitute for professional support.
Eighty percent say they’ve used an AI chatbot or AI tool in the past year for a task they would have otherwise hired or consulted a professional to complete, while 16% have not yet done so but have considered it. Only 4% are not interested in using AI.
But that doesn’t mean SMBs are handing over the keys to AI. Instead, they’re deploying it strategically for lower-risk yet time-intensive work. Marketing and content creation is the most common use case (61%), while nearly half use AI for graphic design or creative work (49%) and business planning or strategy (45%).
AI has yet to gain the same traction in more sensitive business functions. Only a quarter (25%) of SMBs use AI for human resources tasks and financial or tax guidance, and even fewer use it for legal research or document drafting (22%) and insurance research or support (16%).
Reluctance to use AI for higher-stakes tasks seems to be a risk calculation. Although 22% of SMBs don’t have any concerns about using AI, questions around data privacy, accuracy, and compliance are holding back more widespread AI use.
[Callout]: AI confidence has its limits
When asked what has made them hesitant to use AI more in their business:
- 34% of SMBs are concerned about data privacy or security
- 31% of SMBs are are concerned AI may provide inaccurate information
- 25% of SMBs are concerned about compliance, regulations, or legal risks
This uncertainty becomes more pronounced as businesses scale. Nearly half (46%) of SMBs generating $5.1 million-$7.5 million in annual gross revenue are concerned about data privacy and security, compared to 35% of SMBs generating less than $500,000.
Still, it’s clear that broader AI adoption will hinge on trust. To expand AI’s role across the business, SMBs need tools with transparent data use policies, clear audit trails, and built-in human oversight when it matters most.
Insight 2: AI is making SMBs more human
SMB merchants are finding new efficiencies with AI, with nearly all respondents agreeing it helps them make decisions more quickly (96%) and feel more confident in their work (95%).
And while we often assume that business efficiency comes at the expense of customer support, the opposite appears true for SMBs: 94% agree AI helps them better serve their customers.
It’s no surprise that 38% of respondents use AI for customer communications. AI can streamline high-volume tasks, such as helping SMB owners rapidly draft email responses. Likewise, SMBs may rely on AI capabilities within existing platforms, such as CRM automations that summarize customer conversations so sales or support teams can respond faster.
Yet the greater impact may be what SMBs do with the capacity AI frees up. When asked how they would most likely use the time that AI saved them each week, investing in existing customer relationships was at the top of the list.
[Callout]: How SMB merchants would reallocate time saved by AI:
- 38% would focus on revenue-generating activities
- 35% would build stronger relationships with existing customers
- 34% would catch up on administrative work
- 34% would market or promote their business
- 31% would train employees or support their team
Rather than depersonalizing customer relationships, AI is helping SMB merchants build more meaningful ones.
For example, a website chatbot might handle responding to routine questions about business hours or appointment availability. In turn, owners can invest more time in the complex, high-value customer conversations where human expertise truly moves the needle.
Insight 3: Positive experiences fuel adoption
SMBs are moving full steam ahead with AI adoption. Eighty percent of respondents expect their AI use to increase over the next six months, including 34% that expect it to increase significantly. Only 17% expect their AI use to stay about the same, and just 1% believe it will decrease.
But enthusiasm isn’t equal across the board. Rather, the SMBs planning to invest more in AI are also most likely to be the ones reporting positive outcomes today.
In fact, SMBs planning to increase AI use are roughly twice as likely to strongly agree that AI has improved aspects of their work, compared to those expecting to maintain or decrease AI use.
[Callout]: SMBs invest when AI proves its value
Of SMBs expecting to increase their AI use:
- 65% say AI helped them make decisions more quickly
- 60% say AI made them feel more confident in their work
- 60% say AI helped them better serve their customers
Of SMBs expecting to maintain or decrease their AI use:
- 33% say AI helped them make decisions more quickly
- 29% say AI made them feel more confident in their work
- 23% say AI helped them better serve their customers
When SMBs see tangible results from using AI, additional investment becomes an easy business case. So, how can more SMBs reach that point?
- Educate employees: Considering 21% of respondents say employees are reluctant to use AI and 14% struggle to see how AI is useful to their business, thoughtful rollout plans are critical. Simply handing employees an AI tool isn’t enough — they need to understand how AI supports their work and how to derive the most value from it.
- Invest with intention: Strong AI roadmaps, vendor partnerships, and success metrics can also help SMBs navigate AI cost concerns. With a clear understanding of where AI creates the most value, SMBs can focus their resources on the highest-impact opportunities.
The next chapter of AI innovation for SMBs
SMB merchants are moving beyond AI experimentation and finding practical ways to embed AI into their business. But as adoption expands, long-term success will depend on choosing the right use cases, building employee confidence, and working with tools they trust.
As SMB merchants evaluate AI solutions, they’ll likely look for partners that offer transparent data practices alongside the expertise and support needed to maximize AI’s value. Clear business outcomes, not just AI enthusiasm, will define the next chapter of adoption.
Methodology
In June 2026, Stax surveyed 500 U.S.-based SMB merchants. All respondents were over 21 years old and part of the formal decision-making process around technology investments and purchases at their organization.
