Artificial intelligence is often perceived as a technology reserved for large companies capable of investing in specialized teams, long-term projects, and complex infrastructure. This idea can give SMEs the impression that they are not ready or that they cannot fully benefit from AI.
However, AI is already being adopted by a significant number of SMEs in their daily operations, and these organizations can sometimes move faster and further than large structures. The challenge is not so much size as the ability to define clear uses, experiment quickly, and gradually integrate AI into their practices.
AI is no longer reserved for large companies
According to the Microsoft Canada 2025 Small & Medium Business Trends Report, 71% of Canadian small and medium-sized businesses already use artificial intelligence features in their operations, whether for task automation, content processing, or decision-making assistance.
AI is increasingly present in the applications that SMEs already use, sometimes without them fully realizing it. A study by the Business Development Bank of Canada shows that when businesses are asked if they use AI, 39% say yes. But when shown a list of features or tools that incorporate AI, that rate jumps to 66%.
This finding illustrates that AI is often not a standalone project: it is integrated into management software, communication platforms, or automation tools and already contributes to productivity without necessarily being highlighted.
Agility and experimentation: the strengths of SMEs
One of the structural advantages of SMEs is their agility. They can quickly test a solution, adjust their roadmap, and stop or modify a project that does not create value, without long approval cycles or complex systems to manage. This flexibility allows them to target specific needs, experiment on a small scale, and expand initiatives only when the results are measurable and relevant.
Barriers that are less technological than strategic
The adoption of AI in SMEs is generally not hindered by the technology itself, but by a lack of clarity and prioritization. Many companies know that they could benefit from it, but do not know where it would be most useful, perceiving the technology as complex when in fact many tools are operational as soon as they are implemented. A good approach is to identify business objectives, pinpoint tasks where AI brings real value, and move forward in small, measurable steps.
AI, a pragmatic lever for all SMEs
For SMEs, the most effective applications are often simple but concrete: facilitating the writing or summarization of content, sorting and classifying documents, assisting customer relations with automatic responses, or automating repetitive administrative tasks. These uses can be deployed gradually, without major organizational transformation, and generate tangible gains quickly.
Ultimately, for the successful adoption of AI, the size of the company matters less than the strategy: identifying concrete uses, testing quickly, learning and adjusting, and integrating the tools into the teams’ daily work. To learn more about how TechNuCom can support you in adopting AI within your SME, contact us.
