SMBs race ahead in AI uptake, but 95% say they still need AI training

, /PRNewswire/ -- Small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) are embracing AI rapidly, but their adoption maturity still lags behind. According to a global TeamViewer survey of 1,400 business leaders (427 of them from SMBs), 95% of SMB decision makers say they need more training to use AI effectively, even though 72% describe themselves as AI experts.

SMBs are leading in usage, but not depth

Regardless of perceived maturity levels, AI is firmly on the SMB agenda, and not just for use among IT personnel. In fact, a notable 86% of SMB leaders say they are comfortable with employees outside of IT using AI tools.

Yet, while use is common, it's not always frequent. Only  every third SMB respondent says they use AI every day, and just 16% report using it on at least a weekly basis.  Despite this, SMBs still report higher AI maturity than enterprises. While just 22% of larger organisations describe their AI usage as "very mature", 35% of SMB decision makers say the same.

The cost of inaction – automation gaps drive concern

This leads to concerns about the risks of not adopting AI. For 28% of SMB decision makers, the biggest consequence of inaction is increased operational cost due to missed opportunities for automation. This diverges from the broader business community, where falling behind competitors was the top fear, cited by 26%.

Skills, security, and the systems holding AI Back

SMB leaders remain optimistic: 72% expect AI to drive the greatest productivity surge of the century, and 76% see it as essential to improving overall business performance. Many also believe in its broader societal value—70% say AI can help expand job opportunities for parents and caregivers.

Still, a capability gap remains. Although 72% of SMB respondents consider themselves AI experts, 95% say they need more training. Two persistent barriers continue to slow AI maturity: education and security. More than a third of leaders (38%) cite insufficient AI training as the main obstacle to progress. Meanwhile, 74% are concerned about data management risks, and 65% say they only use AI tools within tightly controlled security frameworks. Tellingly, 77% admit they wouldn't bet a week's salary on their organisation's ability to effectively manage risks such as unauthorised AI tool usage.

Infrastructure isn't ready – but investment is coming

Infrastructure is another key hurdle. Nearly half of SMB decision makers – 47% – say they do not yet have the systems in place to scale AI as quickly as they would like. However, momentum is building. 75% of SMB leaders say their organisations plan to increase AI investment in the next 12 months, and three in four (75%) expect that investment to rise within the next six to twelve months, signalling a clear intent to shift from experimentation toward more advanced implementation.

TeamViewer Intelligence: increased productivity for IT teams

As SMBs scale their use of AI, the challenge isn't just access, it's making the technology work across day-to-day operations. TeamViewer Intelligence helps IT teams bridge that gap, offering session insights and analytics, and now, a powerful new assistant: TeamViewer CoPilot.

TeamViewer CoPilot is a digital assistant built into remote support sessions, helping IT agents stay focused, move faster, and make better decisions without switching tools or losing context. Agents can ask questions, automate routine tasks, and receive clear, tailored guidance in the moment. For SMBs, it's a practical way to improve IT efficiency, reduce downtime, and raise service quality without adding complexity or the need for additional resources.

"SMBs are clearly motivated to embrace AI, but many are still searching for the right way to turn early adoption into lasting impact," said Artus Rupalla, Director of Product Management at TeamViewer. "The key isn't just more tools, but smarter integration—solutions that bring automation, insight, and consistency into everyday operations. This research confirms what we're seeing across our customer base: SMBs want AI that solves real problems, not just theoretical ones. With practical tools like TeamViewer Intelligence, we can help these businesses move from experimentation to execution and drive real performance gains."

Notes to Editors 

In the AI Opportunity Report, TeamViewer uncovers the attitudes of 1,400 information technology, business, and operational technology decision-makers in the UK, France, Germany, Australia, Singapore, and the US toward artificial intelligence.

The research above focuses on 427 SMB decision-makers from organisations with 200–999 employees. Respondents included 99 individuals from companies with 200–499 employees and 328 from businesses with 500–999 employees. The research was conducted in October 2024. 

About TeamViewer

TeamViewer provides a Digital Workplace platform that connects people with technology – enabling, improving and automating digital processes to make work work better.

In 2005, TeamViewer started with software to connect to computers from anywhere to eliminate travel and enhance productivity. It rapidly became the de facto standard for remote access and support and the preferred solution for hundreds of millions of users across the world to help others with IT issues. Today, more than 660,000 customers across industries rely on TeamViewer to optimize their digital workplaces - from small to medium sized businesses to the world's largest enterprises - empowering both desk-based employees and frontline workers.

Organizations use TeamViewer's solutions to prevent and resolve disruptions with digital endpoints of any kind, securely manage complex IT and industrial device landscapes, and enhance processes with augmented reality powered workflows and assistance - leveraging AI and integrating seamlessly with leading tech partners. Against the backdrop of global digital transformation and challenges like shortage of skilled labor, hybrid working, accelerated data analysis and the rise of new technologies, TeamViewer's solutions offer a clear value add by increasing productivity, reducing machine downtime, speeding up talent onboarding, and improving customer and employee satisfaction.

The company is headquartered in Göppingen, Germany, and employs more than 1,800 people globally. In 2024, TeamViewer achieved a revenue of around EUR 671 million. TeamViewer SE (TMV) is listed at Frankfurt Stock Exchange and belongs to the MDAX. Further information can be found at www.teamviewer.com.

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SOURCE TeamViewer