(BPT) - By Eric Yu, Lenovo's SVP & GM, CPC and SMB Segment
As we mark Small Business Month, it's a moment to take stock of how quickly AI has moved from hype to everyday business tool. Across the SMB landscape, we're seeing how far technology has come, from basic automation tools that handled repetitive tasks, to today's AI systems that can generate content, analyze customer data in real time and support decision-making. Small business leaders are now entering a new phase of their AI journey, turning early adoption into lasting business value.
Notably, three quarters of SMBs are using AI and more than half are using generative AI, however, only 14% have integrated its capabilities into core operations, according to Goldman Sachs. The question is no longer whether to use AI, but rather, how to make it deliver results.
Despite rapid adoption, many are still struggling to turn experimentation into measurable business impact.
Three practical lessons can help SMBs move from adoption to impact:
1. Start with business outcomes
For small businesses, every technology decision must tie directly to outcomes. With limited resources and lean teams, there is little room for experimentation without clear return.
From an application standpoint, AI PCs provide a low-friction starting point, enabling capabilities such as transcription, summarization, predictive assistance and content generation, without heavy infrastructure investment. For lean teams with limited time and resources, this can mean replacing manual notetaking and review with AI-powered transcription and summarization that automatically highlight key decisions and actions in real time, freeing up capacity for strategizing and planning. This lowers the barrier to entry and allows entrepreneurs to move quickly from experimentation to tangible productivity gains.
The takeaway for SMBs: Begin with clear workflow bottlenecks, such as sales follow-ups, customer support, content creation and inventory management, and apply AI where it drives measurable impact. The most effective deployments are focused, targeted and tied to immediate business needs.
Ultimately, beginning with outcomes ensures AI is tied to business value from day one, creating a clear path to ROI and scalable growth.
2. AI succeeds when people are trained and workflows are redesigned
Technology alone will not drive measurable impact. Research shows that employee upskilling and effective human-AI collaboration are critical to successful AI implementation, underscoring the importance of investing in people alongside technology. Without this balance, even the most advanced tools risk being underutilized or operating in silos.
Instead of using AI tools sporadically, businesses should integrate them in ways that feel natural, intuitive and easy to adopt. For SMBs in particular, smart collaboration tools can be a good start. Imagine asking your AI assistant to schedule a meeting for 10 people and it automatically secures a room big enough to hold everybody and sends calendar invites. When the meeting starts, it provides real-time transcription, activates noise cancelation on the microphone, focuses the camera on the speaker, summarizes key messages, sends out action points, and more. What once could become a source of stress is now eliminated.
Equally important is ensuring these tools fit seamlessly into how people already work, particularly in hybrid work environments. AI adoption is more likely to succeed when tools are user-friendly, reduce friction and complement existing habits and processes rather than forcing employees to completely change how they operate. Early success in these areas can help build momentum and scale adoption across teams.
The bottom line: AI delivers value when it becomes part of how people work, not just a tool they occasionally use.
Companies like Lenovo offer the right combination of devices, solutions and support that is critical in helping SMBs operationalize AI effectively.
3. Embracing mentorship and Backing Every Business
Technology alone can't close the gap between adoption and impact. Many SMBs understand the potential of AI, but lack the resources, tools or strategic direction to scale it effectively. Closing this gap requires not just technology, but guidance and partnership.
Initiatives like Lenovo's Backing Every Business are designed to provide that support, connecting SMBs with mentorship, funding and technology to help them scale with confidence. In partnership with actress, producer, entrepreneur and social advocate Eva Longoria, Lenovo is spotlighting small business owners through its global "Twinning" campaign, connecting them with peer-to-peer mentorship, grant funding and AI-powered technology to help them grow and adapt in a rapidly changing digital landscape.
This approach recognizes a broader truth: SMBs don't just need more technology; they need the right support and context for using it. That includes practical guidance on where to start, how to scale and how to align AI investments with business goals.
The most successful small businesses will be those that combine technology adoption with an external perspective and expertise.
Conclusion
AI adoption among small businesses is no longer the barrier; unlocking its full potential is.
As AI continues to evolve, the small businesses that succeed will be those that move beyond experimentation and embed these technologies into the fabric of how they operate. Those that do this effectively will turn AI from a tool into a true driver of growth.