Start small, but start now: How to bring AI into your small business

Small and medium-sized businesses recognize the transformative nature of AI, with two-thirds of respondents in a recent ASUS survey agreeing AI is creating a significant evolution in business practices, and some even calling it “generational.” The question, then, is how best to realize AI’s potential.

For SMBs, following a simple, three-pronged strategy is a good way to get started on your AI journey, says Shawn Chang, General Manager, System Business Group, ASUS North America.

Step 1: Conduct an IT tool audit

Chances are, your employees are already using myriad AI tools, whether IT knows it or not. A survey by Business.com found 84% of SMB employees use chatbots, 67% use AI-powered search, and 41% use image generators, for example.[1] Likewise, 60% of respondents to the ASUS survey already use AI tools for virtual meetings, including automated transcripts, real-time translations, and AI-driven noise cancellation.

The key is to ensure employees use trusted applications and that multiple groups aren’t paying for the same application, which requires an audit to identify which tools are in use, Chang says.

An audit can be as simple as conducting a survey asking which AI tools employees rely on and why, or employing a third-party tool to conduct a company-wide audit. Both are also valuable for determining which apps employees are actually using.[2]

Step 2: Identify one workflow to automate or accelerate

The next step is to identify a workflow that will benefit from AI, whether that means automating it entirely or accelerating it. “Good candidates are tasks that happen frequently and employ structured data, such as spreadsheets or highly formatted text,” Chang says.

It’s best to start with a low-risk process – just in case. That said, a task that has broad application across the organization is a good fit as well, so numerous employees can quickly see the benefit. So, something that touches many employees – such as HR or IT-related tasks – can be a good candidate.

The task must be measurable, and you should define ahead of time what success looks like, whether it’s time saved, fewer required resources, or the like. As food for thought, respondents to the ASUS survey report AI delivers a variety of results, including:

Increases in productivity and efficiency – 68%

Superior data analytics and insights – 61%

More informed decision-making – 56%

Greater responsiveness to customer needs – 45%

Step 3: Equip your team with hardware built for AI workloads

As you delve in, you will soon learn that many AI applications can benefit from more powerful computers, namely AI PCs. AI PCs have specialized neural processing units (NPUs) to offload compute-intensive tasks from CPUs, along with plenty of memory and the ability to run AI models on the device itself, rather than constantly relying on cloud resources.

AI PCs are catching on in a big way, with Gartner predicting they will represent 55% of the total PC market in 2026, up from 16% in 2024, and will be the norm by 2029.[3]

“Devices like the ASUS Expert Series, which offer up to the Series 3 Intel® Core™ Ultra X9 processor, deliver the power needed for these workloads without draining your battery or slowing down other applications,” Chang says. “They will help your company adopt AI applications that drive greater efficiency, enabling you to better compete with larger organizations.”

Learn more about what your SMB peers think about AI. Download “The Future of SMB Report: Harnessing the Potential of AI PCs.”

[1] “2026 Small Business AI Outlook Report,” January 20, 2026, Business.com.

[2] “18 Application Monitoring Tools to Consider In 2026,” April 15, 2026, CloudZero.

[3] “Gartner Says AI PCs Will Represent 31% of Worldwide PC Market by the End of 2025,” August 28, 2025, Gartner.Microsoft now has more than 20M paying Copilot users – ComputerworldRead More