Survey: AI adoption continues to rise, but 70% say they need more training

AI adoption among U.S. small businesses has risen to 66%, up from 55% a year ago, even as 70% of owners admit to needing more training to use the technology effectively.

This data comes from the 2026 AI and Small Business Adoption Survey from Thryv, an AI-enabled marketing platform for local service businesses.

The survey of 561 small and mid-sized owners and decision-makers (all non-Thryv customers) found that one-third are spending more on AI tools than they were 12 months ago, with many reporting gains in revenue and efficiency.

Seventy percent said AI increased their revenue over the past year, while 55% reported it helped reduce costs. See more findings.