AI is having such an impact on small businesses today that 72% of our survey respondents say their company’s growth wouldn’t be possible without it. This sentiment was more prominent among solopreneurs, with 64% of one-person businesses agreeing with the statement compared to 58% of businesses with 2 - 50 employees.
Very few small businesses are running elaborate AI stacks or building custom models in their spare time. Most are learning as they go. They’re poking at new tools, trying things out, keeping what works, tossing what doesn’t. It’s messy, improvised, and…surprisingly effective.
Across our study, one truth stood out: the businesses seeing the most momentum weren’t necessarily the most technically advanced. They were the ones willing to tinker and test. Experimentation has become a strategy all its own.
Nearly all respondents (98%) say AI is essential to their business, but adoption remains lean. Most small teams rely on only a handful of tools and describe their approach as ongoing experimentation rather than expertise.
That constraint creates an interesting dynamic. When you only have a few tools, you get creative. You push them. You combine them with your instincts. You treat AI less like machinery and more like a collaborator who’s always available to help you chase an idea.
This habit of lightweight exploration (the quick prompt test, the small workflow tweak, the “let’s just see what happens” attitude) quietly builds a unique advantage. Entrepreneurs and their team members become more adept at spotting opportunities. They discover shortcuts no one taught them. They develop instincts about when AI helps and when it gets in the way.
Crucially, these experimenters aren’t waiting for a perfect system to appear. They’re creating competitive advantage, prompt by prompt, one small win at a time.
say AI is essential to their business
say their company’s growth wouldn’t be possible without AI
Success in action: How couch + cork doubled bookings with AI
Real company (and virtual experience), couch + cork hosts wine tastings over Zoom for clients around the world. That used to mean a lot of behind-the-scenes work for a very small team.
Before AI, each tasting required two hours of follow-up: transcribing and sorting notes, pulling out themes, and creating custom takeaways for clients. It was thoughtful work, but not scalable. That process changed when the business began experimenting with Zoom's built-in AI tool, Zoom AI Companion. Summaries and insights arrived in real time, cutting hours of manual work each week.
The result: 8–12 hours saved each month on administrative tasks and a business that finally had more room to grow while maintaining personalized service. As founder Nancy Koziol put it, AI didn’t replace their craft. It gave them the time to keep elevating it.
“Using AI Companion has really revolutionized things for us. We’ve doubled our bookings in the past year, and I’ve been able to bring on more wine and food experts to meet that demand while keeping the experience seamless.”
Nancy Koziol, founder, couch + cork