AI, Security Lead SMB Tech Spending Plans

Cybersecurity tops the tech spending plans of midsize businesses (MBs, 100–1,000 employees), with 51% calling it a priority for the next 12 months. Bredin’s latest State of SMB research, a survey of 500 U.S. SMB decision-makers, also finds that AI ranks among the top three spending priorities for businesses of every size, while AI-generated scams top the list of security worries.

Tech spending priorities by company size

• ‍Very small businesses (VSBs, 1–19 employees) prioritize hardware refresh, e-commerce and digital sales platforms, and AI and machine learning tools.
• Small businesses (SBs, 20–99 employees) prioritize CRM, AI and machine learning tools, and automation and productivity tools.
• Midsize businesses prioritize cybersecurity solutions, AI and machine learning tools, and CRM.

SMB Tech Spending Priorities

Data security and fraud concerns grow with company size

Concern rises with company size for every threat in the survey. AI-generated scams such as fake invoices or receipts, deepfake calls and impersonation rank first for SMBs of every size, cited by 23% of very small, 35% of small and 39% of midsize businesses. Very small businesses rate fraud or unauthorized transactions as an equal concern. Midsize businesses are significantly more concerned than very small businesses about all ten threats, and more concerned than small businesses about unauthorized access to their accounts or systems (38%) and employee theft of sensitive information (34%).

SMB Data Security and Fraud Concerns

For more, see the information SMB cybersecurity buyers want most, SMB tech spending plans by industry and what SMBs want in an AI solution.

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