In recent years, reports on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology have emerged, with many organizations such as Verizon, Salesforce and the Associated Press pointing out that small businesses are driving revenue growth and improving competitiveness through AI technology. However, as a small business owner, I think these reports are too optimistic and the reality is far from reaching the so-called "surge".
In fact, most small businesses are still in the exploratory stage of AI application. While we don't completely ignore AI technology, most people just occasionally try some popular AI tools like ChatGPT or other chatbots. We use these tools to obtain information, write contracts, or optimize policy documents. However, we also clearly realize that AI-generated answers are not always accurate and sometimes encounter problems with system failures or response delays.
In contrast, large enterprises appear to be more mature and active in the application of AI technology. For example, companies such as JPMorgan and UBS are developing their own AI platforms for data analytics, transaction support and customer service. Small businesses rely more on AI capabilities provided by third-party software vendors, which are often focused on automation of daily operations and optimization of workflows.
In the future, with the advancement of technology, small businesses may obtain more powerful AI systems at a lower cost that can help us handle tasks such as customer inquiries, generate quotes, and send invoices. However, most small business owners are still cautious about the reliability and data security of AI. So, despite reports that AI is growing rapidly in small businesses, this trend has not yet really become popular.
In general, small businesses are still a distance away from the widespread use of AI technology, and many business owners are still waiting for more mature and reliable solutions. The potential of AI technology is undoubtedly huge, but for small businesses, how to balance the relationship between technology application and cost and security is still an issue that needs to be discussed in depth.
Key points:
Small businesses are still in their infancy and are far from reaching a “surge” state.
Large enterprises are more mature in the application of AI technology and have greater investment.
Small business owners are still cautious about the reliability and data security of AI, and it will take some time to widely use in the future.