One advantage that big businesses have over smaller ones is resources. This allows larger companies to do more, like spend more on marketing and promotion, and use tools that are otherwise too expensive for SMBs (Small to Midsize Business). However, thanks to AI, that is changing. According to the latest Verizon State of Small Business survey, nearly 4 in 10 small businesses now use AI in some way, with 28% specifically using it for marketing, social media, and content creation.
Using AI in the business space
However, these SMBs aren’t just using AI to automate posts. They are using AI to help brainstorm ideas, generate graphics, and even write copy. This frees up time for owners to focus on the company. This shouldn’t be surprising since smaller companies don’t have the resources to hire many staff. Most of them run pretty lean, so having AI tools definitely helps make operations more efficient.
The survey also found that 24% use AI for customer communications, while a similar number use it to power digital assistants and chatbots. But there’s still a learning curve. About 1 in 3 businesses that don’t use AI say it’s because they’re just not familiar enough with the tools, or they don’t know how AI can help. That being said, not everyone is a fan. Some companies believe that using AI could make their businesses more vulnerable.
Content creation powered by AI
The use of AI isn’t just limited to generating ideas or brainstorming. According to Verizon’s report, three out of five SMBs started creating more original content or increased investment in content creation last year thanks to AI. However, it seems that even with these tools, about 54% of SMBs say it’s tough to keep things fresh. Many are struggling to keep up with changing platforms and trends. While most businesses still lean on Facebook and Instagram, over half are now active on TikTok. YouTube also saw the most significant jump in usage this year.
While AI can help SMBs get ahead and work more efficiently, there are arguments against using it for content creation. Recently, publisher Ziff Davis filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that OpenAI scraped its work to train its AI models. They’re not alone, as there have been numerous other lawsuits and complaints about published work having been “stolen” by AI.
