THE SMB SIGNAL - AI Adoption Is Growing. Trust Will Determine How Far It Goes.
October 27, 2026 | Preference Analytics
What's Changing. Why It Matters. What Comes Next.
AI Adoption Is Growing. Trust Will Determine How Far It Goes.
The Big Picture
Small and midsized businesses (SMBs) are increasingly experimenting with AI. But using AI and trusting it with important business operations are two very different things.
A new Goldman Sachs survey found that 86% of participating small businesses use AI, yet only 15% have fully integrated it into their core operations. These findings reflect established businesses participating in Goldman Sachs' 10,000 Small Businesses program, not the overall U.S. SMB population.
Meanwhile, Google, Dropbox, and Square have announced new capabilities that bring AI further into everyday business operations.
The next challenge for AI providers may not be getting businesses to try AI, but earning their confidence to rely on it.
The SMB Trust Lens
Strong relationships between corporations and SMB decision-makers depend on six essential truths:
Integrity • Ease • Security • Value • Innovation • Growth
Together, these create the conditions for trust. When companies consistently deliver on these truths, they strengthen customer relationships and build Share of Mind (being considered) and Share of Heart (earning preference and loyalty).
When they fall short, they make withdrawals from the trust they've earned.
Three Signals Worth Watching
1. AI Adoption Is High, but Integration Lags
Goldman Sachs reports that AI usage among surveyed businesses increased from 56% in 2024 to 86% in 2026. However, only 15% report fully integrating AI into their core operations.
This suggests that experimenting with AI is much easier than making it an essential part of running a business.
What it means: Companies need to look beyond AI adoption rates and understand what prevents SMB customers from incorporating AI into everyday operations.
2. AI Is Moving Into Everyday Business Workflows
Google announced new Gemini capabilities connecting business applications, including Shopify, Xero, and Wix. Dropbox introduced integration with Microsoft Copilot, while Square is expanding AI-powered analysis of merchant operations.
These developments signal where software providers are investing, although they do not establish how widely SMBs are adopting these capabilities.
What it means: The competitive opportunity is shifting from offering more AI features to helping businesses complete important work more easily, efficiently, and securely.
3. AI Is Moving Closer to Important Business Decisions
Among the Goldman Sachs businesses surveyed, 42% report using AI for financial analysis and business planning—more than twice the level reported in 2024.
There's a meaningful difference between asking AI to draft an email and relying on it to recommend pricing, staffing, or financial decisions.
What it means: As AI moves into more consequential decisions, transparency, accuracy, and the ability to review or override recommendations may become increasingly important.
The Trust Perspective
AI creates opportunities for corporations to strengthen relationships with SMB customers. But it also introduces new ways to erode trust.
Sophisticated technology cannot compensate for unreliable performance, unclear pricing, inadequate safeguards, or promises that aren't delivered.
Conversely, simpler solutions that consistently make running a business easier can strengthen customer confidence and loyalty.
The real competitive advantage may not be technological sophistication, but the confidence SMB customers have in the companies serving them.
Three Questions Corporate Leaders Should Be Asking
Are we making our SMB customers' businesses easier to run, or simply adding more technology?
What would make SMB decision-makers comfortable relying on us for more important business activities and decisions?
Are our products, services, and business practices making deposits into—or withdrawals from—the trust we've earned?
The Bottom Line
AI adoption opens the door. Trust determines how far the relationship goes.
Companies that consistently demonstrate integrity, simplify work, protect customers, deliver value, innovate meaningfully, and support business growth will be better positioned to earn lasting relationships.
That's how companies build Share of Mind and Share of Heart.
THE SMB SIGNAL | Preference AnalyticsHelping companies better understand, connect with, and serve America's small and midsized businesses.
Sources & Research Notes
Goldman Sachs, Small Business AI Impact Report (October 2026): Survey of 2,473 alumni of its 10,000 Small Businesses program. Participants are drawn from established businesses meeting the program's eligibility requirements, which generally include employees, operating history, and minimum revenue. Findings should not be generalized to all U.S. SMBs, particularly nonemployer businesses and sole proprietors without employees.
Google, Dropbox, and Square (October 2026): Company announcements describing new products and capabilities. These announcements indicate vendor activity and strategy, not independently verified SMB adoption or customer outcomes.
The SMB Trust Lens and associated interpretations reflect Preference Analytics' research framework and analysis.
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