If you're looking for AI tools to help your small business, check out this list of possibilities, from AI-driven platforms that can boost productivity or help with financial analysis to AI for specific industries.

Companies of every size are adding AI technology to help improve efficiencies in their businesses. “It can also save on costs and help your business stay competitive in times of mounting inflation,” notes the SBA in a post on its website.

Actually, research indicates some of the smallest businesses in the U.S. are incorporating AI at a faster pace than their larger counterparts. 

According to a U.S. Census Bureau data analysis in December last year, AI usage at businesses with one to four employees rose from 4.6 percent to 5.8 percent since September 2023, marking the second-highest jump among all businesses that reported. 

The largest increase was reported by companies with 250 or more employees — AI usage was up from 5.2 percent to 7.8 percent, says the Census Bureau article by Emin Dinlersoz and Nathan Goldschlag.

Here are just a few ideas on how you and your small business could reap benefits from AI-driven tech.

Organization and Productivity

AI applications for organization and productivity are perhaps among the most well-known, and the selection continues to widen.

Examples include Evernote, which can organize notes, to-do lists and calendars etc., to help you with project planning, and Notion, which can generate diagrams and flowcharts from your notes, and produce insights from pdfs and images. 

There are audio-to-text transcription apps that can do your note-taking during meetings. Microsoft Teams has Copilot, Google Meet's is Gemini, and Zoom has AI Companion.

Other "meeting assistant" apps include Otter.ai, Transkriptor, Sonix, Restream, and Maestra AI.

"AI-powered note-taking can help small businesses further streamline their workflow and ensure no valuable idea slips through the cracks," explains a post on the Intuit QuickBooks site. 

Financial Tasks, Business Forecasting

AI-driven tools can also be used to help automate tasks at your small business, like generating invoices or financial reports. 

Or use AI to dig deeper into your data to identify trends and track key metrics or business forecasting. 

In a survey by Intuit QuickBooks, 45 percent of small business owners cited more accurate business forecasting as a key benefit of AI, according to a QuickBooks article.

"AI-powered tools streamline financial operations, offering personalized insights and simplifying decision-making," according to the post by Intuit, which offers its AI-driven Intuit Assist for task automation and business insights. 

Further, there are AI platforms and apps that can help your small business identify cost-saving opportunities, optimal pricing, or other strategies.

"If you work alone, AI can help you collaborate on business solutions," says a post by the SBA. "You can also use it to find problems in upcoming projects, such as hidden costs or possible financial risks."

"The more you work with AI, the easier it is to find even more ways to help streamline tasks, save time, and find creative inspiration,” explains a post by Google Workspace.

AI for Retailers

Ecommerce shops and on-site retailers continue to find a breadth of uses for AI-driven platforms and tools designed for the huge industry sector, from generating product descriptions and identifying sales patterns and trends to inventory management.

"AI has the potential to revolutionize small retail businesses by streamlining operations, enhancing customer experiences, and boosting profitability," writes entrepreneur and retail business coach Alvin Narsey on his website.

"From automating customer service to optimizing inventory and personalizing marketing, AI provides tools that were once only accessible to large corporations."

Nearly 90 percent of retailers, according to a survey by tech company NVIDIA, actively use AI in their operations or assess AI uses in trial or pilot projects. Further, 87 percent reported AI had a positive impact on revenue and 94 percent said AI reduced operating costs, according to NVIDIA's State of AI in Retail and CPG survey report for 2025.

"As AI technology continues to evolve, it will enable even more innovative ways to serve customers, optimize operations, and drive growth," says a blog by e-commerce platform Shopify, which offers its merchants combined AI features, including through its built-in Shopify Magic suite of tools.

To read more about AI and small businesses, see Affordable and User-Friendly AI Tools and 3 Industry-specific AI Applications.