75% of Brazilian SMBs are optimistic about the impact of artificial intelligence on their businesses, according to a Microsoft study

Brazilian micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) have a positive perspective on the potentials of Artificial Intelligence (AI), with 77% of decision makers considering that AI streamlines the processes of their companiesAI in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises: trends, challenges and opportunities“, commissioned by Microsoft to Edelman Communication. According to the study, 75% of the companies interviewed say they are optimistic about the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their work and this is reflected in the investment plans of the companies, which say they will continue to invest or invest for the first time in AI (73%), and 61% of them already have an action plan or specific goals related to this technology. 

Optimism regarding AI similarly reaches the different hierarchical levels within MSMEs. According to the survey, 54% of leaders declare that AI is a priority in the company. Among employees, the optimism index about the results of AI in their activities is 64%. Decision makers highlighted several benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) in their operations: 77% note an improvement in the quality of work, 76% consider that IATP increases productivity, and 70% believes that it improves the customer's performance (5 employees are also motivated and engaged16 are also among the employees.6.

 “Brazilian companies are increasingly aware that AI can be an ally in business growth.That is why we see optimism translate into” action plans, says Andrea Cerqueira, vice president of Corporate Sales for Customers and Startups at Microsoft Brazil. 

MSMEs are also more familiar with the technology: approximately half (52%) of decision makers in MSMEs claim to be extremely or very familiar with AI. This, in line with optimism, is pulling investment intent. The movement is led by small businesses (10 to 99 employees) with 85%, followed by micro (1 to 9 employees) with 71% and medium (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. Already 60% of micro-enterprises point out that the improvement of service and customer satisfaction is what most motivates them to invest in AI. Only 13% of micro and small and 12% of medium-sized companies pointed out the reduction of costs as the main reason.

Areas leading AI adoption within MSMEs 

In its fifth year, the Edelman survey commissioned by Microsoft pointed out that the areas of marketing (17%), IT (16%) and customer service (14%) are the main responsible for the adoption of artificial intelligence in companies in Brazil. 

Among the non-native digital, marketing leads the adoption of AI and management actively participates in the purchase decision. In digital native companies, IT is the main responsible for the adoption and purchase decision. In general, important participation in the areas of finance (28%), customer service (27%), human resources (25%) and sales (16%) in the decision making process of purchasing artificial intelligence tools were also observed. 

“A IA is transforming the way we work, facilitating previously complex processes and freeing up professionals' time to be more creative and strategic. No wonder, we see different areas adopting and influencing the purchase of AI within MSMEs, which need to increase their efficiency without giving up on the 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 used mainly in the creation of new solutions and products (57%), in the streamlining of work (52%), in data processing for decision making (45%), in document translation (42%) and in support of marketing and customer acquisition tasks (39%). 

The study pointed out that time savings is the main benefit of Generative AI, being cited by about half (53%) of MSMEs. Companies are discovering efficiency and productivity gains (47%), improvement in customer experience (44%) and reduction of human errors (38%).  

Qualification is an important demand 

The MSMEs point out the difficulty to find a qualified workforce and train their professionals as challenges in the application of AI in their businesses. According to the study, 28% of MSMEs highlight problems to hire specialized talent. Already 24% report difficulties to train their current teams, with a larger cut in medium-sized companies (33%). 

Currently, AI skills are already the main demand of medium-sized companies (63%) in the process of attracting and developing talent. Demand is also high among small (41%) and micro (30%) companies, although these also prioritize soft skills, such as collaborative work (52%) and interpersonal skills (52%).  

“Digital transformation is carried out strategically when it is done with inclusion. AI training should be considered in talent acquisition and retention strategies, regardless of the size of the company.The future of AI in Brazil involves the productive inclusion of MSMEs and qualification of its 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 meet this challenge of the Brazilian economy, Microsoft launched in September 2024 the program ConectAI, 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 company to 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 drive cultural change 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 technology access (34%), data privacy concerns (33%) and cybersecurity threats (27%).  

According to the survey, risks related to theft or misuse of data are the main concerns of companies regarding AI with 48% of the answers. Soon after are cited the fear of manipulation of AI models (33%) and the use of malicious software powered by this technology (30%). 

These risks require companies to establish clear policies for AI use, governance and data protection while meeting the demands of their employees for access to this technology.In terms of regulation, 53% of decision makers are very or extremely familiar with the AI regulatory landscape, although this familiarity is less among microenterprises (31%).