78% SMBs in India use AI; majority see increase in revenue: Salesforce report

As many as 78% of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in India using artificial intelligence (AI) have reported revenue growth, according to a report. The sixth edition of the 'Small & Medium Business Trends' report by Salesforce surveyed 3,350 leaders from SMBs across 26 countries, and highlighted a growing trend among SMBs to adopt AI technologies to enhance their operations and drive revenue.

The report said 78% 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.

According to the report, 93% of Indian SMBs surveyed said AI has helped increase revenues.


"Small businesses are demonstrating 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% of respondents expressed concerns about being left behind in the AI race, indicating a sense of urgency to adopt these technologies.

Additionally, 60% 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.

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