US small firms turn to AI tools to cut operating costs

Small and medium-sized businesses in the US are increasingly using AI and automation for routine office work. Market research, scheduling and data analysis are among the most commonly automated tasks, according to new survey data from Website Builder Expert.

The survey suggests automation is being used largely to manage costs. It also indicates that some firms would rather invest in technology than cut roles, with a minority reporting automation investment instead of headcount reductions.

Among US SMBs using automation to offset operating expenses, 55% said they used it for market research. The same share used it for scheduling and calendar management. Data analysis followed at 52%.

The findings suggest automation is taking on work often handled by operations, marketing and administrative teams. Inventory management, writing tasks and personalised marketing also ranked among the areas where SMBs are applying AI tools.

Automation priorities

In the survey, 55% of US SMBs said they used automation to offset operating expenses. Within that subset, market research and scheduling were joint top categories.

Market research can include collecting information on competitors, customers and pricing. Automation tools can process large volumes of information and generate summaries or reports. Vendors market tools for monitoring trends, analysing customer feedback and supporting product and pricing decisions.

Scheduling and calendar management remains a frequent administrative burden for many smaller firms. Digital tools can handle meeting set-up, reminders and basic co-ordination. Many products also link scheduling with customer relationship management systems and email services.

More than half of respondents cited data analysis as a task where AI is in use. As businesses rely more on digital platforms for sales, marketing and operations, they generate data that can be difficult to review manually. AI tools often provide dashboards, pattern recognition and automated reporting.

Inventory management also featured at 52%. This can include tracking stock and monitoring supply chains. Many systems connect sales data and stock levels, flag reorder points, and sometimes predict demand based on historical trends.

Writing tasks were cited by 48% of businesses, including emails and marketing copy. Generative AI tools are now widely available across mainstream office software and dedicated content platforms. Their adoption has raised questions about accuracy, tone and brand risk, particularly for customer-facing copy.

Personalised marketing appeared at 42%. Businesses in this category use automation to tailor marketing activity in real time, such as targeted email campaigns, on-site recommendations and audience segmentation for advertising.

Costs and staffing

The data also touches on how SMBs are responding to financial pressure. Some 10% said they were investing in efficiency and automation tools, while 3% said they were reducing headcount or freezing hiring.

The figures do not capture all cost measures, and the results do not break down investment by sector. Still, the gap between technology spend and headcount reduction offers a snapshot of how some firms view automation in the context of operating expenses.

Lucy Carney, Editor at Website Builder Expert, said: "In light of steeper operational costs, it's interesting to see that 10% of SMBs are using automation as their main strategy to offset this financial pressure. What I found fascinating when digging deeper here, is the types of tasks being automated - heavy manual jobs like market research and scheduling are most commonly replaced. This shows the shift away from cutting staff towards getting more value from staff time by freeing them up to work on less repetitive tasks."

Areas held back

The survey also points to reluctance in areas that can carry higher risk or require specialist oversight. Among SMBs using automation to offset operating expenses, none said they were automating cyber security measures, according to the data shared by Website Builder Expert.

Legal research was automated by 27% of businesses in that group. Design tasks and document classification were each cited by 30%.

Lower adoption in these areas may reflect concerns about errors, compliance and handling sensitive information. In cyber security, firms can face reputational and financial damage after a breach, and decisions often require specialist judgement and monitoring.

Legal research brings separate risks around accuracy and context, with mistakes carrying significant consequences. Design work can be subjective and brand-sensitive, while document classification can involve regulated data and internal records-management policies.

Survey background

Website Builder Expert conducted the survey in January 2026 and said it targeted a representative sample of 322 participants. Respondents were US C-level, executive and owner-level professionals at businesses with fewer than 500 employees.

The survey comes as AI features spread rapidly across consumer and business software, with providers adding text generation, summarisation and workflow automation to everyday applications. For smaller businesses, the appeal often lies in faster execution of routine work and the ability to redirect staff time to other activities.

The results suggest a practical focus on repetitive, time-consuming tasks. The survey also highlights the need for planning before introducing changes, including assessing requirements, checking budgets, comparing tools and considering training needs.

Carney said: "This shows the shift away from cutting staff towards getting more value from staff time by freeing them up to work on less repetitive tasks."