Pax8 Releases Q2 2026 SMB AI Pulse Report on AI Adoption and Experimentation

Pax8 released its Q2 2026 Pax8 SMB AI Pulse Report, which surveyed U.S. small business leaders on technology adoption, investment, and sentiment. The report found that 61% of respondents said they were actively using AI, while 29% were still experimenting, with results varying on confidence, spending, and preparation to move from testing to deployment.

The survey compared businesses using AI with those not using AI across multiple measures. It reported that nearly one in three AI users found themselves stuck in experimentation, and that companies using AI differed in confidence about growth and in how they approached technology. It also stated that 13% slowed or paused technology investment and 6% reduced spending outright, while conviction in AI importance remained steady for those reporting investment slowdowns.

The Pulse Report tracked differences in technology positioning and internal readiness. Among AI users, 31% said they were ahead of competitors on technology compared with 12% of non-users. It also reported higher confidence among AI users for growth (65% very or extremely confident versus 56% for non-users) and more frequent increases in technology spending (53% versus 24%). On governance, it reported that about two-thirds of AI users had either a documented policy or informal guidelines, compared with 34% of experimenters, and that 23% of SMBs overall had a documented policy in place.

The report linked the ability to progress from testing to deployment to leadership alignment and governance. It reported that among businesses actively using AI, 91% said leadership was fully or mostly aligned on AI’s role, dropping to 68% among experimenters and 32% among non-users. It also stated that 59% of SMBs agreed that AI gave small businesses the ability to compete with much larger companies. Scott Chasin, Pax8 CEO, said, “AI is leveling the playing field for small businesses. Our data found the SMBs pulling ahead share three things: aligned leadership, governance, and the expertise to turn experimentation into results,” and Chance Weaver, Vice President of AI Adoption at Pax8, said, “Because of gaps in expertise, governance, and internal alignment, almost one in three small businesses is stuck in experimentation right now.”

Provided by Globe Newswire on behalf of Pax8 US. Click to read original content.