F A L L 2 0 2 5 7 BUSINESS solutions According to the 2024 U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s report, “Empowering Small Business: The Impact of Technology on U.S. Small Business,” generative AI use has nearly doubled to 40%, compared to 23% in 2023. These businesses are mostly using generative AI for marketing tasks and to better understand and communicate with customers. What are some examples? Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Adobe Firefly can help with content creation for all types of marketing and advertising applications —including blog posts, social media, and emails. AI-enabled Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software can help drive sales or identify marketing opportunities based on its learnings from customer behavior and data, such as offering incentives based on order value and frequency. It can also help predict future customer behavior and provide suggestions related to developing trends. Adding a chatbot to a website is another example of AI use. Chatbots can field common requests from customers and free up time for employees to address more complex issues. They also extend customer service hours beyond the usual hours of operation. Is your business currently using any generative AI tools? If not, these benefits may encourage you to start: • Improved efficiency: AI can increase employee productivity by decreasing the time required for rote or recurring tasks. • Reduced costs: AI can help optimize inventory management to minimize costs associated with overstocking and stockouts. • Enhanced customer experience: AI can assist in personalizing content or business offerings to offer more customers a unique engagement with the brand. • Increased growth opportunities: Many AI programs incorporate machine learning algorithms, which can offer an enhanced understanding of customer behavior via pattern recognition that improves over time. This can lead to better sales and revenue growth. • Better decision making: AI can provide and interpret analytics on large volumes of key business data to facilitate better problem solving. It’s important to note that you’re probably already using common technology that’s in some way enabled by AI technology, such as mapping apps, financial management tools, and virus detection. It could be time to go from dipping your toes in the AI water to jumping in! AI Use Is Booming Among Small Businesses Be Aware of Mobile Device Vulnerabilities Many people use personal smartphones and tablets for business purposes. This makes mobile device security a critical concern, since these devices often have access to business networks and sensitive data yet aren’t subject to the same security controls as traditional business systems. Examples of mobile device vulnerabilities include: • Malicious Apps – They can be downloaded from third-party app stores or installed via phishing links, allowing attackers to gain access to sensitive data or to control the device. • Operating System (OS) Vulnerabilities – Mobile operating systems may have vulnerabilities that can be exploited by attackers. • Phishing Attacks – Mobile device users can be tricked into revealing sensitive information or downloading malicious software. • Unsecured Wi-Fi – Mobile devices may connect to unsecured Wi-Fi networks, which can be exploited by attackers to intercept data or to launch attacks on the device or the network to which it’s connected. To mitigate mobile device vulnerabilities, require complex passwords and multifactor authentication, make sure devices are updated regularly, and provide secure channels for accessing business data.
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