Small firms try off-the-shelf AI as integration costs hold others back

An OECD survey of more than 2,000 small and medium-sized businesses in 12 countries found widespread use of ready-made AI products among respondents. Some firms were also experimenting with tools tailored to their operations.

The researchers found uneven progress in putting the tools into regular workflows. Time, maintenance costs and skills gaps can make it difficult for a business to turn a trial into a system it can rely on.

The survey did not use a representative sample, so its results describe the firms that responded. It also found scope for public programmes to make digital support easier for small businesses to find and access.