Small businesses across the United States are embracing artificial intelligence at a rapid pace, with a new national survey conducted by Reimagine Main Street, in partnership with PayPal, revealing that 76% are actively using or exploring artificial intelligence solutions. The research, based on responses from nearly 1,000 small business owners and 20 detailed interviews, underscores the sector´s accelerating shift towards technology, driven by a pressing need to boost efficiency and maintain competitiveness.
Currently, artificial intelligence serves primarily as a timesaving assistant for small businesses, handling tasks like generating marketing content, responding to customer inquiries, and improving productivity. For example, business owners describe slashing communications and administrative task times from 20 minutes down to five, offering more bandwidth to focus on core operations. The majority—82%—of surveyed owners believe artificial intelligence adoption is now essential, with many concerned about falling behind the competition if they do not act soon.
However, the survey points to a new, urgent demand: tools that can do more than assist. Small businesses want agentic artificial intelligence that actively drives growth. Over half of those already using artificial intelligence cite cash flow forecasting tools as critically needed, while a significant portion seeks solutions for real-time sales pricing and revenue prediction. Owners express desires for digital partners that analyze market demand, predict trends, and suggest strategic moves—freeing up even more time and advancing their business prospects.
Despite the excitement, barriers remain. Around half of small businesses hesitate to fully commit due to concerns over data privacy, security, and the steep learning curves associated with onboarding new technologies. Owners advocate for tools that offer clear guarantees of confidentiality and seamless integration into their existing workflows. Many indicate that embedding artificial intelligence capabilities into platforms they already know and trust—like PayPal—would dramatically accelerate adoption, with 83% saying they would prefer solutions within their established digital ecosystems.
PayPal is responding by developing agentic commerce tools that move beyond passive assistance, including AI-enabled features like Smart Receipts and the Advanced Offers Platform. These new initiatives aim to provide automation, predictive analytics, and proactive business support within PayPal’s trusted environment, prioritizing transparency and privacy. The report paints a clear vision for the future: small businesses don’t want artificial intelligence that merely offers suggestions—they want powerful, secure digital partners that can execute on insights, fueling growth in a highly competitive environment.
