Brazilian micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) have a positive outlook on the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI), with 77% of decision-makers considering that AI speeds up their companies’ processes. This is revealed by the research “AI in micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises: trends, challenges, and opportunities“, commissioned by Microsoft to Edelman Communication. According to the study, 75% of the surveyed companies state that they are optimistic about the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on their work, and this is reflected in the companies’ investment plans, which say they will continue investing or invest for the first time in AI (73%), with 61% of them already having an action plan or specific goals related to this technology.
Optimism about AI similarly affects different hierarchical levels within MSMEs. According to the research, 54% of leaders declare that AI is a priority in the company. Among employees, the optimism rate about AI’s results in their activities is 64%. Decision-makers highlighted various benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) in their operations: 77% observe an improvement in work quality, 76% consider that AI increases productivity, and 70% believe it improves customer satisfaction. Employee motivation and engagement are also positively impacted by this technology, as indicated by 65% of respondents. Among the main applications of AI are virtual assistance for customer service (73%), internet research (66%), and personalized services (65%).
“Brazilian companies are increasingly aware that AI can be an ally in business growth. That’s why we see optimism translating into action plans,” says Andrea Cerqueira, Corporate Vice President for Customers and Startups at Microsoft Brazil.
MSMEs are also more familiar with the technology: approximately half (52%) of decision-makers in MSMEs say they are extremely or very familiar with AI. This, aligned with optimism, is driving investment intentions. The movement is led by small businesses (10 to 99 employees) with 85%, followed by micro-businesses (1 to 9 employees) with 71%, and medium-sized businesses (100-249) with 64%.
MSMEs have clear expectations and purposes when investing in AI. For 59% of medium-sized companies and 53% of small ones, gains in efficiency, productivity, and agility are the main reason for adopting generative AI. Meanwhile, 60% of micro-businesses point to improving service and customer satisfaction as their main motivation for investing in AI. Only 13% of micro and small businesses and 12% of medium-sized ones cited cost reduction as the main reason.
Areas leading AI adoption within MSMEs
In its fifth year, the Edelman survey commissioned by Microsoft pointed out that marketing (17%), IT (16%), and customer service (14%) are the main areas responsible for adopting artificial intelligence in companies in Brazil. However, differences were observed according to the type and size of the organization.
Among non-digital natives, marketing leads AI adoption, and administration actively participates in purchasing decisions. Among digital-native companies, IT is primarily responsible for adoption and purchasing decisions. Overall, significant participation was also observed from finance (28%), customer service (27%), human resources (25%), and sales (16%) in the decision-making process for purchasing AI tools.
“AI is transforming the way we work, simplifying previously complex processes and freeing up professionals’ time to be more creative and strategic. It’s no surprise that we see different areas adopting and influencing AI purchases within MSMEs, which need to increase efficiency without sacrificing cost control,” comments Andrea Cerqueira.
Generative AI technology, capable of generating content and processing large volumes of data, has also gained specific applications within MSMEs. The technology is mainly used in creating new solutions and products (57%), speeding up work (52%), processing data for decision-making (45%), translating documents (42%), and supporting marketing and customer acquisition tasks (39%).
The study pointed out that time savings are the main benefit of Generative AI, cited by about half (53%) of MSMEs. Companies are discovering gains in efficiency and productivity (47%), improved customer experience (44%), and reduced human errors (38%).
Qualification is an important demand
MSMEs point to the difficulty of finding a qualified workforce and training their professionals as challenges in applying AI to their businesses. According to the study, 28% of MSMEs highlight problems in hiring specialized talent. Meanwhile, 24% report difficulties in training their current teams, with a higher proportion in medium-sized companies (33%).
Currently, AI skills are already the main demand of medium-sized companies (63%) in the talent acquisition and development process. The demand is also high among small (41%) and micro (30%) businesses, although these also prioritize soft skills, such as collaborative work (52%) and interpersonal skills (52%).
“Digital transformation is carried out strategically when done inclusively. AI training should be considered in talent acquisition and retention strategies, regardless of company size. The future of AI in Brazil depends on the productive inclusion of MSMEs and the qualification of their employees. For professionals who want to become more competitive, developing these skills is essential. At Microsoft, we have several free initiatives to address this challenge,” highlights Andrea Cerqueira.
To help address this challenge in the Brazilian economy, Microsoft launched in September 2024 the ConectAI program, which aims to train 5 million people in Brazil by 2027 in AI-related skills and prepare the Brazilian workforce for market transformations, aiming to ensure a more equitable and inclusive future. The company will invest R$ 14.7 billion in cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence (AI) in Brazil to foster the development of the AI ecosystem in the country.
Cybersecurity
Six out of ten companies recognize the need to promote cultural changes to take advantage of the benefits of technology. The study pointed out some bottlenecks for companies to put their AI adoption plans into practice: investment costs and access to technology (34%), concerns about data privacy (33%), and cybersecurity threats (27%).
According to the survey, risks related to data theft or misuse are the main concerns of companies regarding AI, with 48% of responses. Next are fears of AI model manipulation (33%) and the use of malicious software powered by this technology (30%).
These risks demand that companies establish clear policies for AI use, governance, and data protection while meeting their employees’ demands for access to this technology. In terms of regulation, 53% of decision-makers are very or extremely familiar with the regulatory landscape of AI, although this familiarity is lower among micro-businesses (31%).
