Is SMB Use of AI Declining?
July 7, 2026
Active AI use among SMBs has slipped since its November 2025 peak, and the drop is steepest at larger businesses. In Bredin’s June 2026 SMB Omnibus survey of 500 U.S. SMB decision-makers, the share of midsize businesses (MBs, 100–1,000 employees) actively using AI fell 17 points, from 73% to 56%. Many SMBs haven’t given up on AI, however. The share piloting or experimenting has grown, especially among very small businesses (VSBs, 1–19 employees).
How AI use has changed by company size
- Among very small businesses, active use is down 5 points since November 2025 (35% to 30%), while the share piloting or experimenting nearly doubled (12% to 22%).
- Among small businesses (SBs, 20–99 employees), active use fell 9 points (54% to 45%), and piloting rose from 21% to 28%.
- Midsize businesses still lead in AI use. Counting both active use and piloting, 78% are using AI, down from 92% in November 2025.
- Over the longer term, AI use remains far above where it started. Active use among very small businesses has grown from 6% in April 2023 to 30% in June 2026.
VSB (<20EE) Use of AI
SB (20-99EE) Use of AI
MB (100-1,000EE) Use of AI
For more, see why SMBs don’t use AI features, how to get SMBs to pay for AI tools and our hub on SMB AI adoption and usage.
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