Vic SolNearly eight in ten small businesses say they use AI; just over one in ten pays for it
For small and midsize business owners and managers about to pay for their first dedicated AI tool, or to renew one.
In 30 seconds
- In the US, 77% of small and midsize businesses surveyed by Intuit say they use AI regularly, but payment records show only 12% paid for dedicated AI tools between 2021 and 2025.
- Most use general or free tools. Paying for a specific tool is a different decision and deserves its own case.
- Before paying, list what you already use and compare against the process you want to improve.
The exhibit
| Use AI regularly (survey, US) | 77% |
|---|---|
| Say it improved productivity (US) | 78% |
| Say it increased revenue (US) | 43% |
| Paid for dedicated AI tools 2021-2025 (records, US) | 12% |
Intuit with University of Chicago economists, 2026 AI Impact Report, May 12, 2026. Survey of 34,000+ SMB owners and anonymized data from 5.3M+ QuickBooks businesses (US, Canada, UK, Australia).
Fact
- Roughly 7 in 10 businesses across the US, Canada, the UK and Australia use AI regularly. In the US the figure is 77%, up from 48% in July 2024.
- 78% of US small businesses say AI improved their productivity (46% in July 2024). 43% say it increased revenue; 2% say it reduced it.
- In payment records, about 1 in 10 businesses in every market pays for dedicated AI tools. 86% of US businesses that paid in 2024 were still paying in 2025.
- The US information sector has the highest payment rate: 32%. Adoption is highest in marketing, admin and customer service.
My read
Two numbers should not be mixed: what people say they do and what shows up in the books. Using a free chatbot to draft emails counts as "using AI", but it is not the same as paying for a tool built into your operation. That most paying businesses keep paying the next year suggests that, when the choice is right, the tool stays. The useful question for a small business is not whether to use AI, but which process justifies paying for it.
What to do on Monday
- List what you already pay for and what you use for free, by area and by person. Sheet: inventory of the AI you already pay for
- Before any demo, prepare your questions on data, total cost and exit. Sheet: five questions before the demo
- Start with one admin, customer service or scheduling process and measure against a baseline before you pay. Sheet: baseline, compared to what?
What we don't know
- Latin America is not covered; figures are from the US, Canada, the UK and Australia.
- Intuit sells software to small businesses; payment data only covers businesses that use QuickBooks.
- Productivity and revenue are self-reported, and the report doesn't precisely define "regularly".
Vic Sol · Decision Desk · vicsol.org/resources/ · Free to use with attribution. Independent summary of a public source; figures belong to their author. Not legal, financial or audit advice.