78 pc SMBs in India use AI: Salesforce report

The 6th edition of the 'Small & Medium Business Trends' report by Salesforce surveyed 3,350 leaders from Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs) across 26 countries

New Delhi: According to a report, as many as 78 per cent of SMBs in India using artificial intelligence (AI) have reported revenue growth. The 6th edition of the ‘Small & Medium Business Trends’ report by Salesforce surveyed 3,350 leaders from Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs) across 26 countries. It highlighted a growing trend among SMBs to adopt AI technologies to enhance their operations and drive revenue.

The report said 78 per cent of Indian SMBs are either using or experimenting with AI, with automated service chatbots, marketing campaign optimisation, and content generation as their top 3 use cases.

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According to the report, 93 per cent of Indian SMBs surveyed said AI has helped increase revenues. “Small businesses demonstrate that innovation and growth are not limited by size. By leveraging AI-driven technologies such as autonomous agents, SMBs are unlocking efficient ways to scale–delivering personalised customer experiences and optimising back-office operations,” said Arun Kumar Parameswaran, Managing Director — Sales, Salesforce India.

Despite the optimistic outlook, the report also revealed challenges faced by SMB leaders.

The report said 41 per cent of respondents expressed concerns about being left behind in the AI race, indicating a sense of urgency to adopt these technologies.

Additionally, 60 per cent find it challenging to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology, while some feel they lack the time to master all the tech their company employs.

Trust remains a paramount issue in the age of AI.

Some 91 per cent of Indian SMBs surveyed would prefer to invest in technology from trusted vendors, reflecting growing concerns over security and compliance, it said.