How are small and medium organisations (SMEs) using generative AI?

Well, first you need to define ‘use’.

Almost everybody is using ChatGPT to fix their emails. Whether they want to and can admit to that is a different question.

Whether that practice is supported and embedded within the organisation, or whether that is just somebody being entrepreneurial and innovative in their own workflow, is another question.

Of course, there is a spectrum between personal and organisational use: for example, the juniors who are crunching numbers in Excel will probably be using more ChatGPT and Power Automate assistance than the Heads of Department who barely have time to think about what to eat for lunch.

If you want to get really clear, defining what is institutionally embedded is also a question.

So when you ask, is an organisation using genAI, in which capacity do you expect people to answer? Which role do people take on when answering a question?

Then, there is the question of whether small and medium organisations are using genAI as part of innovative business models.

Are we talking about advancing business models, or are we talking about writing emails better? Those are very different types of questions.

It is a challenge for many SMEs to use AI as a core element of their business model. In general, SMEs are really badly placed to use AI.

Using genAI requires a tremendous investment in infrastructure, capacity building, and often, educating your customers. Using AI as a core part of your business model may also require investing a lot to be a pioneer in the market. That is a lot to ask of SMEs.

There is a narrative of AI being groundbreaking and pioneer, but who can bear the burden of the risk of being a pioneer?