ASUS Report: AI Adoption Rises as SMBs Seek Competitive Advantage

Forty-seven percent of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) reported readiness to adopt AI technology, while 68% of early adopters said they have already seen gains in productivity and efficiency.

This is according to ASUS’ recently published 2026 Future of Small Business Report: Harnessing the Potential of AI PCs, which examines how SMBs across the US are leveraging AI to drive growth and address operational gaps in an increasingly competitive market.

A roadmap for SMBs in the AI era

Released in recognition of National Small Business Week, the report highlights a key inflection point for SMBs—showing a growing willingness to adopt AI to enhance competitiveness while navigating evolving business demands,

“Small businesses are the backbone of the US economy, and today’s data makes clear they are not waiting on the sidelines,” said Shawn Chang, general manager of the System Business Group at ASUS North America. 

“The small businesses gaining the most ground right now are the ones who target workflow, prove the value, and build from there. This report is designed to give SMB owners a roadmap of what’s working and how to get started.” 

The report outlines five trends shaping SMB competitiveness:

• The evolving global workplace
• Workforce readiness for AI
• Competitive positioning against larger enterprises 
• Cybersecurity resilience
• IT management maturity

The findings provide a comprehensive view of how SMBs are navigating rising costs, evolving workforce demands, and the accelerating pace of technological change. 

The results are based on responses from 102 SMBs in the United States, including 62 decision-makers, 17 IT and technology professionals, 10 procurement specialists, and seven financial advisors.

A reimagined workplace amid evolving needs

ASUS emphasizes the need for a new workplace approach, particularly as hybrid work models expand beyond traditional, fixed locations.

According to the company, this shift requires prioritizing AI PCs, intelligent features, enhanced security, and productivity tools to enable employees to work effectively from anywhere.

The report also found that 47% of SMBs are ready to adopt AI technologies today, while 54% are optimistic about its potential.

Additionally, SMBs are becoming more interconnected, with 75% viewing this as an opportunity to expand their reach, and 57% emphasizing the importance of embracing new technologies.

Thinking like larger enterprises

Alongside advocating for a reimagined workplace, the report found that SMBs are actively exploring AI PCs as a means to level the competitive playing field and drive sustainable growth.

Eighty-eight percent of respondents agreed on the need to think bigger, more like large enterprises, over the next three years to remain competitive.

At the same time, 33% strongly agreed that they are facing increased competition from emerging startups, while an even higher share (41%) reported growing pressure from larger enterprises.

AI PCs are seen as a key enabler in this shift. Over one-third of SMBs identified AI technology as critically important to improving competitiveness, particularly against startups (50%) and large enterprises (65%).

ASUS attributes this trend to the broad benefits of AI PCs, as they promise increased productivity, advanced data analytics, and improved responsiveness to customer needs.

SMBs as increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks

SMBs are becoming more aware of their vulnerability to cyberattacks and the growing need for stronger digital defenses.

Survey data showed that 35% of respondents feel neutral or unsafe about their organization’s cybersecurity posture, pointing to widespread concern. This is reinforced by the finding that 15% of SMBs have already experienced a cyberattack, underscoring the real and immediate nature of the threat.

Compared to larger enterprises, SMBs are often seen as easier targets, with 20% of respondents believing they are significantly more likely to be attacked.

In response, ASUS recommends that SMBs prioritize proactive cybersecurity strategies. These include implementing regular software updates, conducting frequent security audits, and providing ongoing employee training to address an increasingly complex threat environment.

Last week, we reported that AWS, Microsoft, and Google Cloud are expanding AI opportunities for partners while raising the bar for security, governance, and scalability. Explore what this shift means for MSPs and resellers, and how they can position themselves to maximize these opportunities.