Sources
The research behind the main page. These are surveys of self-selected groups and vary by sample, so read them as context, not as exact figures for your business.
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses survey
1,256 owners, January to February 2026. 73% said more training and implementation resources would help; data privacy was named as a main barrier.
Read the sourceBluevine 2026 Small Business AI Trends Report
942 U.S. owners, April 2026, conducted by Centiment. Data security (33%) and accuracy skepticism (31%) were the top barriers to using AI more.
Read the sourceSimply Business 2026 small business AI outlook
1,047 U.S. owners. Accuracy concerns (36%), data security fears (34%), and the learning curve (31%) were the main barriers to broader use.
Read the sourceThryv 2026 small business AI survey
561 owners; a vendor survey, as reported by Carrier Management. 57% learn about AI from YouTube and social media.
Read the sourceShopify Merchant Survey
As cited by Shopify. Among merchants not using AI, 29% don't know where to start and 26% don't know which tool to use. Content generation is the top use among merchants who do use AI.
Read the sourceShopify on AI customer service
AI can be inaccurate or impersonal and needs human oversight.
Read the sourceAmerican Dental Association survey
589 dentists, June 2026, as summarized by Parkhurst Consulting. Administrative uses lead, and 82.6% do not plan to use AI for treatment recommendations.
Read the sourceIntuitionLabs: ChatGPT for medical office staff
A secondary source. Consumer plans lack Business Associate Agreements, and the risk depends on whether information identifies a person.
Read the source