How many businesses really use AI, and why the numbers range so widely.

The best free resources

• Large Firms With at Least 20 Employees Biggest AI Users
  The most rigorous US figure: about 1 in 5 firms use AI; tiny firms aren't growing.
  Adam Grundy, Cory Breaux, Dhanapati Khatiwoda, U.S. Census Bureau · May 2026

• Survey: Small Businesses Embrace AI — But Need Training and Support to Fully Harness It
  76% of program alumni use AI, but only 14% built it into core operations.
  Goldman Sachs 10, 000 Small Businesses Voices · Mar 2026

• The Majority of Small Businesses Embrace Artificial Intelligence (Empowering Small Business 2025)
  58% of small firms say they use generative AI; includes state data. Lobbying context.
  U.S. Chamber of Commerce / Teneo · Aug 2025

• New Advocacy Article Highlights Small Businesses Closing the AI Adoption Gap
  Small firms run about a year behind large ones; 8.8% used AI on Census's old definition.
  Casey B. Mulligan, SBA Office of Advocacy · Sep 2025

• The 2026 AI Index Report — Economy chapter
  The standard yearly summary of business AI use, productivity studies and investment.
  Stanford HAI · Apr 2026

Curated by effectiveAI. Every link checked November 2026. Know a better free resource? Tell us.