5 Low-Risk Ways to Start Using AI in Your Business Today

By Elainna Ciaramella

Most small business owners I talk to are curious about AI—but they’re also intimidated. They’ve read the headlines, seen the flashy demos, maybe even asked ChatGPT to write a social post or two. But incorporating AI into their actual business? That feels overwhelming, expensive, and maybe even a little risky.

And yet, the urgency couldn’t be clearer. AI isn’t just a competitive advantage anymore—it’s becoming table stakes.

According to the 2025 McKinsey Global Survey on AI: How Organizations Are Rewiring to Capture Value, over 75% of companies now use AI in at least one business function. More than half are leveraging it to inform staffing, manage inventory, and shape customer engagement. That means if you're not experimenting with AI, chances are your competitors already are.

Still, many business owners are afraid of making a mistake, of sounding robotic, of losing their brand voice—or worse, investing time and money into a tool that doesn’t deliver. 

Many worry AI will replace their employees. Others are concerned the learning curve is too steep. These are valid fears, but they shouldn't be barriers.

You don’t need to hire a data scientist or overhaul your operations. You just need to start small, with tools that solve real problems, save you time, and spark momentum.

Before we dive into how to start small, let’s zoom out for a second.

Where AI Is Making the Biggest Impact in 2025

The 2025 McKinsey Global Survey on AI reveals that AI is no longer siloed in experimental pilot programs—it’s deeply embedded in core business functions. Among the most common use cases:

  • Marketing and sales—from scoring leads to personalized campaigns.

  • Product and service development—optimizing features or generating product ideas.

  • Customer operations—chatbots, virtual assistants, and support ticket automation.

  • Strategy and corporate finance—demand forecasting and risk modeling.

  • Supply chain management—inventory prediction and logistics optimization.

  • HR and talent management—recruiting, resume screening, and engagement tracking.

This tells us one thing: if there’s a process in your business that’s repetitive, data-heavy, or customer-facing—there’s a good chance AI can help you do it better.

Here are five ways to start small but smart:

1. Use AI to Summarize Meetings and Emails

If your inbox feels like quicksand or you're drowning in meeting notes, AI can be your life raft. Tools like Fireflies.ai, Otter.ai, and Microsoft Copilot can automatically record, transcribe, and summarize meetings, turning chaos into clarity. No more "Who said what?" or "What were the action items again?"

Same goes for email. Gmail and Outlook now offer AI summarization features that highlight key points in long threads. It's not just a time-saver—it’s a sanity-saver.

Risk level: Low
Payoff: High clarity, less busywork, faster follow-up.

2. Generate Social Media Content in Seconds

Creating consistent, high-quality content is hard—especially when you're wearing a dozen hats. Tools like Jasper, Copy.ai, and Canva Magic Write can help you brainstorm, write, and refine posts that actually sound like you (with a little training and tweaking).

Start with your FAQs. Turn them into Instagram carousel posts, LinkedIn articles, or short videos. AI can help you ideate, draft, and even suggest the best format based on your goals.

Risk level: Minimal (you still have final say)
Payoff: Consistent presence, faster publishing, better engagement.

3. Draft Blogs or Newsletters Faster

No, AI won’t replace your voice. But it can help you beat the blank page. Think of it like a digital research assistant—you prompt it with a headline or bullet points, and it gives you a rough first draft. Tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Notion AI are especially good at this.

You still do the refining, the storytelling, the shaping. But you start with something instead of nothing. And that’s often the hardest part.

Risk level: Low, as long as you edit
Payoff: Major time savings, less creative burnout.

4. Automate Repetitive Tasks and Customer Service

If you’re still manually scheduling appointments or responding to the same customer questions 10 times a week, AI can help. Tools like Tidio, Intercom, and ManyChat can handle basic customer support 24/7, freeing you up for the human conversations that matter.

This isn’t about replacing people—it’s about giving you more time for people.

Risk level: Moderate (needs setup and monitoring)
Payoff: 24/7 responsiveness, happier customers, fewer missed opportunities.

5. Get Smarter About Forecasting and Inventory

This is where AI starts to feel like a superpower. Platforms like QuickBooks, Shopify, and Square now include AI-driven insights that help predict sales trends, flag cash flow issues, and even recommend reordering windows.

According to the 2025 McKinsey Global Survey on AI, over half of businesses using AI say predictive revenue tools help them make better decisions around staffing, marketing, and inventory.

Risk level: Low to medium (depending on data quality)
Payoff: Better decisions, fewer surprises, real-time visibility.

CEOs: The Drivers of AI Success

One of the clearest patterns from the 2025 McKinsey Global Survey on AI is this: companies that see the biggest gains from AI adoption almost always have one thing in common—leadership is hands-on. In fact, 28% of AI-using companies say their CEO directly oversees AI governance (McKinsey & Company).

Why does this matter? Because implementing AI isn’t just a tech decision—it’s a business transformation. And transformation doesn’t happen in the IT department alone. It requires vision, prioritization, and most importantly, cultural buy-in.

If you're a small business owner, you are the CEO. That means you're also the chief visionary, the culture carrier, and often the final decision-maker. Your involvement can be as simple as starting a conversation, encouraging experimentation, or allocating time and budget for your team to explore the right tools. Your role isn’t to know all the answers—it’s to create the conditions for progress.

CEO Action Checklist: Leading AI with Intention

If you're the CEO of a small or midsize business, here are a few simple, strategic ways to put AI leadership into motion:

  • Schedule a quarterly AI review—check in on what tools your team is using (or wants to try).

  • Designate a team member as your AI champion—someone who explores tools, tests workflows, and reports back.

  • Invest 1–2 hours a month experimenting with AI yourself—use it to draft an email, summarize a meeting, or brainstorm content.

  • Celebrate wins, share learnings—whether it saved 5 hours or landed a new client, spotlight successes.

  • Ask better questions—not “What can AI replace?” but “What can AI enhance?”

Leading with curiosity, clarity, and consistency is the real unlock.

Don’t Wait for Perfect

You don’t have to understand every algorithm or tech term. You just need to be willing to experiment. AI isn’t a trend—it’s a toolkit. And the businesses that thrive in the coming years will be the ones that learn to use it strategically.

The 2025 McKinsey Global Survey on AI makes one thing clear: the real winners aren’t just adopting AI tools. They’re rewiring how they work—with leadership buy-in, intentional change, and a focus on long-term value.

You don’t have to be a tech company to think like one. Start small. Start today. The path to AI fluency begins with a single prompt.

About Elainna Ciaramella

Elainna Ciaramella is a seasoned business journalist who brings human depth to tech-driven stories. With an extensive background in ghostwriting for executives and C-suite professionals nationwide, her blog focuses on the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship, and artificial intelligence. Elainna is passionate about demystifying emerging technologies and exploring how AI is reshaping storytelling, business, and the future of work. Her work has appeared in TechBuzz News, The Salt Lake Tribune, Utah Business, and Visit Utah, among other respected publications. 




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AI Isn't Just for Big Tech: How Small Businesses Can Start Using It Now