Closing the AI readiness gap: From hesitation to real-world results
Research from Xero confirms AI is already making a difference where it counts: boosting your revenue. But a lack of readiness is holding businesses back, stopping them from unlocking their full competitive edge.
AI wins: The power of starting small
Here’s what small businesses that are doing great things with AI told us.
- The daily edge: Integrating AI into the daily workflow makes a difference – businesses that use AI every day were twice as likely to see their revenue go up compared to those who never engage with it.
- The adoption advantage: Among businesses seeing revenue growth, the majority reported using AI at least weekly. It shows that even consistent, small use pays off.
- The mindset factor: Businesses that approach AI with an "excited and optimistic" attitude reported the biggest jump in revenue over the last year.
How to get started: Three simple steps
Closing the readiness gap just means moving from "I hope AI works" to incremental, strategic steps.
Test a hypothesis
Start simple. Pick a specific, low-risk task—like writing a social media post—and set a success goal.
Audit one task
Focus your audit on a single, repetitive, low-value task like sorting invoices.
Verify one vendor
When you choose a key vendor, use the three essential questions we’ve outlined in our white paper.
I don’t fear AI replacing jobs, I see it as an opportunity to redefine our value. By automating the nonsense, we free people to focus on the high-value work that truly distinguishes us as a business.
Seonaid Royall, founder and CEO of Sprout Up, London, UK
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