Ascero AI Research · updated June 2026
A majority of U.S. small businesses now use AI — 58% run generative AI today, up from roughly 40% a year earlier. This report compiles the adoption rate, the ROI, and the segment-by-segment momentum, every figure attributed to a named 2025 survey.
Free to cite (CC BY 4.0). Compiled from third-party research — sources linked on every figure.
This is a compiled report, not original first-party research. Each figure is attributed to a named 2025 survey and linked to its source: the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, Thryv, Salesforce, Homebase, and the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council. Where surveys disagree (adoption estimates range from ~55% to ~88% depending on definition and sample), we lead with the most conservative, widely-cited figure and note the range.
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Related: The SMB Phone-Leakage Report 2026 · All Ascero AI research
As of the most recent 2025 surveys, 58% of U.S. small businesses use generative AI (U.S. Chamber of Commerce), up from about 40% in 2024. Other surveys put "using or piloting" as high as 64.7% (Homebase). Adoption is strongest among firms with 10–100 employees (68%).
According to Salesforce's 2025 SMB research, 91% of small and mid-sized businesses using AI report revenue increases, 87% say it helps them scale operations, and 86% report improved margins. Thryv's 2025 survey found typical cost savings of $500–$2,000/month and 20+ hours saved monthly.
No. This report compiles and attributes figures from named third-party 2025 surveys (U.S. Chamber of Commerce, SBA Office of Advocacy, Thryv, Salesforce, Homebase, SBE Council). Each figure links to its source. It is a citable clearinghouse, not original first-party research.
For owner-operated businesses with high inbound call volume, an AI voice receptionist that answers missed calls is typically the fastest measurable return, because it recovers revenue that is currently leaking to voicemail. See the companion SMB Phone-Leakage Report for the per-vertical math.
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