New research from Salesforce reveals that small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) adopting artificial intelligence (AI) report significant revenue growth, with 91% of AI-enabled SMBs attributing increased earnings to the technology. The findings, based on a survey of 3,350 SMB leaders worldwide, underscore how AI is reshaping business operations and providing competitive advantages.
The study highlights a stark contrast between SMBs leveraging AI and those lagging behind. Among growing SMBs, 83% are using AI, compared to just 55% of businesses experiencing revenue declines. Furthermore, 78% of growing SMBs plan to increase their AI investments in 2025, signaling a widening gap in technology adoption.
Kris Billmaier, EVP at Salesforce, framed AI as a transformative force.
“AI is leveling the playing field between SMBs and larger enterprises. Small and medium-sized businesses using AI see real returns across their operations, from improved efficiency to stronger customer relationships,” Billmaier says. “Those who wait too long to invest risk falling behind as early adopters build their advantage.”
SMBs implementing AI report improvements across both customer-facing and internal operations. Among the most common use cases:
- Marketing Campaign Optimization: AI tools refine targeting and messaging for better conversion rates.
- Content Generation: Automated tools streamline the creation of marketing materials and emails.
- Customer Recommendations: AI delivers personalized product or service suggestions.
- Natural Language Search: Tools improve how businesses and customers access information.
- Automated Chatbots: These reduce response times and improve customer service scalability.
Sales teams are using AI to draft personalized prospecting emails, while marketing teams optimize lead scoring and automate email list management. Service teams report shorter case resolution times with the use of AI.
Despite the advantages, many SMBs face hurdles in adopting AI effectively. Security ranks as the top concern, with 81% of leaders stating they are willing to pay more for technology from trusted vendors. Additionally, data quality is critical, as flawed inputs can hinder AI outcomes.
Growing SMBs are prioritizing data management investments (74%) and adopting integrated tech stacks (66%) to address challenges like siloed data and inefficient processes.
The research also highlights the potential of autonomous AI agents, which can perform tasks independently by analyzing data, formulating plans, and executing actions without human input. Salesforce’s Agentforce platform is positioned as a tool to help SMBs scale operations and reduce costs while maintaining quality.
The Salesforce survey was conducted between August 3 and September 16, 2024, and included SMB leaders from North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe. Full demographic details are available in the “Small & Medium Business Trends” report.
As AI continues to evolve, SMBs leveraging the technology appear better equipped to drive growth, streamline operations, and navigate competitive markets. The Salesforce research provides a clear blueprint for businesses looking to embrace AI and position themselves for the future.
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