More Than Three Quarters of Small Business Owners Say AI Makes Them More Productive, But Most Need More Guidance

A new YouGov study commissioned by Meta surveyed nearly 4,000 small business owners across nine Asia-Pacific markets, revealing that 84% currently use AI tools. Among these owners, 76% reported improved productivity and 71% saw positive impacts on revenue or sales over the past year. The survey highlights AI’s role in addressing common small business challenges such as limited resources and time constraints. However, 86% of respondents emphasized the need for additional guidance to maximize AI’s potential benefits.

The study identified cost as the primary barrier to training, with 51% of small business owners citing it as a challenge. Owners expressed a demand for clearer information on cost and return on investment, as well as guidance on data privacy and security. Meta’s response includes partnerships with governments and industry associations to provide free training and support, aiming to help businesses use AI more effectively.

Meta launched the Small Business Growth Academy across Asia-Pacific earlier this year to assist small businesses in scaling using digital and AI-enabled tools. The program, delivered with local partners, offers training in AI-driven advertising, Reels, WhatsApp for Business, and cross-border commerce. Small businesses can immediately access AI tools from Meta, such as Advantage+ for ad creation and Meta Business Agent for automated customer inquiries.

In Indonesia, Husnul Khotimah, founder of modest fashion brand Zayya, used Small Business Growth Academy training to expand into Malaysia with a daily ad budget of Rp30,000 (approx USD 1.68). Using Meta’s tools, she generated 50 enquiries and reduced customer response times from 30–60 minutes to under two minutes, achieving more than eight times return on ad spend.