September 4, 2025
SMBs are reporting significant productivity gains from AI, with usage and payback increasing with headcount. But what differences emerge when we look at AI payback by industry?
Our most recent research reveals that AI’s impact varies widely across industries, with retail/wholesale and manufacturing SMBs seeing the most meaningful returns. Roughly two in three of those SMBs report a very or extremely significant contribution from their investment in AI, versus about three in five professional services SMBs, and one in three personal services firms.
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