There was a time when “we’re watching AI” sounded reasonable. That time is over.
In 2023, you could say you were curious. In 2024, maybe you ran a few prompts. But it’s 2025, and if you’re still waiting to “figure out what to do with AI,” your competitors have already moved on to training it on their own data, automating their processes, and freeing up time that used to be spent on repetitive work. (Think hours per week per employee, not just in theory, but in practice).
AI isn’t a trend to keep an eye on. It’s a shift in how work gets done. Like the internet, email, and mobile devices; AI is the next essential tool. Try picturing a workday without email, smartphones, or internet access, it’s basically impossible now, and AI is quickly joining that list.
So where are SMBs actually with AI?
- In 2024, Forbes reported that 64% of small businesses are already using AI tools in some capacity, especially for customer engagement, content generation, and streamlining internal workflows (source: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/ai-in-business/).
- And in the same 2024 Forbes Advisor report, 82% of early AI adopters said it’s already improving productivity—helping teams move faster across everything from marketing and HR to operations (source: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/ai-in-business/).
- AI adoption is happening fastest in businesses with fewer than 500 employees, because small companies can move fast.
If you’re not already using AI to reduce time on repetitive tasks, generate content, summarize meetings, or improve customer service, you are now officially behind.
The good news? You don’t have to start big and it’s not too late to catch up!
Most wins in AI for business don’t start with massive systems. They start with:
- Automating a weekly report.
- Having AI help draft emails or job descriptions.
- Summarizing sales calls or creating follow-up templates.
- Building a chatbot that can answer FAQs from customers or internal chatbots for employee questions.
Start small. Start now. But just start.
And yes, you’ll need a partner.
AI is moving fast. Tools change every day, and policies are still trying to catch up. Most of the tools out there assume you’ve got extra time, a full tech team, and someone dedicated to making it all work. That’s just not the case for most small and mid-sized businesses and that’s usually where things get stuck.
That’s exactly why people come to Centriq. We’re not here to hand you a tool and tell you to figure it out. We help you identify what’s actually helpful to automate, how to roll it out in a way that doesn’t cause chaos, and how to get your team comfortable using it. Everything we do is rooted in the real work you’re doing every day, not shiny tools for the sake of looking modern.
So, if you’re thinking about where to begin: You already have. The next step is simply just reaching out.