Seven in ten UK small business owners say they are confident using artificial intelligence, but fewer than half use it regularly, according to research published today by Small Business Britain and Alibaba.com.

The study of 1,000 small business owners found that 70 per cent are somewhat or very confident using generative AI, while 48 per cent use it regularly. The organisations describe the difference as an emerging “AI productivity gap” between confidence in the technology and its measurable effect on how businesses run.

The report, titled AI Could Give Small Business Owners Their Most Precious Commodity Back: Time, was produced with Accio, the agentic AI platform for businesses operated by Alibaba.com.

Marketing dominates current use

Among small businesses that use AI, 74 per cent apply it to content creation and marketing, making it by far the most common use recorded in the survey. About a third use it for data analysis or reporting, and 5 per cent for supply chain management.

The report attributes the concentration on content to generative AI offering “an accessible entry point”, with social posts, marketing copy and emails described as “immediate, visible applications with relatively little technical knowledge required”.

It argues that the larger productivity opportunity lies elsewhere. “Small businesses have begun to use AI to help them create, but there is enormous scope to help them use AI to analyse, decide, organise and act,” the authors wrote.

Saving time was the benefit most commonly cited by respondents. Four in five (80 per cent) identified it as a key advantage of AI, compared with 43 per cent who pointed to creativity and innovation.

The findings follow research from Simply Business, which found that AI use by UK small businesses had more than doubled to 47 per cent in a year. The Office for National Statistics reported in July that self-reported AI use among businesses with 10 or more employees had risen from about 12 per cent in late 2023 to about 35 per cent by June 2026.

Low awareness of agentic AI

The report distinguishes between generative AI, which produces an output in response to a request, and agentic AI, which it says can help carry out “more complex, multi-stage tasks” such as researching options, comparing information and moving a task towards completion.

Awareness of agentic tools is limited. Only 44 per cent of respondents had heard of agentic AI, and 5 per cent are regular users. However, 68 per cent said they want to learn more about it.

Asked about its potential advantages, 60 per cent of owners cited improved work-life balance and 50 per cent said it could give them more time for marketing and finding new customers.

Michelle Ovens CBE, chief executive and founder of Small Business Britain, said: “We know small business owners wear many different hats when running their businesses, so it’s hugely encouraging to see growing confidence in AI as a critical tool. However, the research also makes clear AI’s, and particularly agentic AI’s, untapped potential.”

She added: “There is a real opportunity for technology to completely revolutionise how small business owners manage their business, potentially freeing up more time to focus on the areas that can really take their business to the next level.”

Time spent on suppliers

The survey points to sourcing as one area where owners spend significant time. Half (50 per cent) said comparing price options takes up a significant amount of their time when working with suppliers, and 45 per cent said the same of finding suppliers.

Around a third of the businesses surveyed already source internationally, according to the report, while around a third source only within the UK. Businesses selling through several online stores reported that they largely update each store individually rather than simultaneously, with updating stock content cited as a particular difficulty.

Michelle Lau, managing director of Alibaba.com, said: “AI has had a transformative effect on many small businesses across the UK, but when we look a little closer, much of the adoption today has been at a surface level.”

She said: “We’re entering the era of agentic AI with tools like Accio, which can research markets, evaluate suppliers and manage day-to-day operations on a business’s behalf, enabling small businesses to progress more business-critical workstreams at once, access more insightful information on suppliers, trends and market data and save more time day-to-day for greater work-life balance or other areas of their business.”

AI as a source of advice

The research also asked owners where they turn when faced with difficult business decisions. A partner was the most common answer, at 23 per cent, while 15 per cent said they already turn to AI. According to the report, AI ranked ahead of friends, family members, business advisers and mentors among the options measured.

The authors said this “should not be interpreted as AI replacing human advice”, describing AI instead as “another source of information and perspective” for owners who may have nobody within their business with whom to discuss a decision.

Respondents also recorded reservations. Data privacy and security were a concern for 69 per cent, reliability and accuracy for 61 per cent, and 46 per cent expressed some discomfort about AI making decisions on their behalf.

The report said these findings “underline the importance of education”, adding that small businesses need to understand “both what AI can do and where human oversight remains essential”. It called for “transparent tools, practical demonstrations, trusted training and clear guidance around responsible use”.

The use of AI by smaller companies is also under scrutiny in Parliament, where the Business and Trade Committee has been examining whether British firms are benefiting from the technology.

Recommendations on training

The report recommends practical training “based around real business problems rather than technical explanations of AI”, covering tasks such as comparing suppliers, understanding data, managing multiple sales channels and streamlining administration.

It said business support organisations and technology providers can help by creating accessible training, demonstrations and case studies. “The goal should not be to turn small business owners into AI experts,” the authors wrote. “It should be to give them sufficient understanding and confidence to make AI work for them.”

About the author

Amy Ingham

Amy Ingham is a reporter at Business Matters, covering UK business news with a focus on breaking news, business policy, late payments and insolvency. She joined the magazine in 2026 after completing the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism at Harlow College’s journalism school. Her recent reporting includes British Steel’s nationalisation and its impact on SME suppliers, the decline in late payments by large firms, and Insolvency Service director disqualifications. Reach her at aingham@cbmeg.co.uk.

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KANSAS CITY — Aramark Sports + Entertainment is launching a variety of new foodservice offerings across National Football League (NFL) stadiums as the 2026 season gets underway.

The new menu items are available at several of Aramark’s partner NFL venues across the United States, including the homes of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings.

The menu innovations take inspiration from the history and flavors of their respective stadiums.

“Our team works hard to make sure we are delivering fresh experiences for fans each season that leave lasting impressions, while also celebrating the history and culture of our partner’s teams, fan bases and cities,” said Alison Birdwell, president and chief executive officer of Aramark Sports + Entertainment. 

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has nominated Cissie Graham Lynch, the granddaughter of the late evangelist Billy Graham, to serve as the U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, moving to fill a senior diplomatic post that has lacked a Senate-confirmed occupant since the start of his second term.

The White House announced the nomination Monday, sending Lynch’s name to the U.S. Senate for consideration as part of a broader list of nominations. Lynch, whose full legal name is Jane Lynch, is the daughter of Samaritan’s Purse Chief Executive Officer Franklin Graham and the granddaughter of Billy Graham, the influential evangelist who died in 2018.

Lynch addressed the nomination in a post on social media platform X on Tuesday, describing the opportunity in personal terms. “If confirmed by the Senate, please pray that I would serve with excellence and make the most of every opportunity to protect our most precious and fundamental right — and one that far too many people around the world still live without — freedom of religion,” she wrote, calling the nomination a “great honor and privilege.”

Franklin Graham voiced support for his daughter’s nomination in a separate post on X the same day. “Cissie is uniquely qualified for this — she has traveled the world and been a student of this issue for many years,” Graham wrote. “She has a broad worldview and knowledge of the issues facing religious freedom today.” He added, “If confirmed by the Senate, she will bring a passion for defending religious freedom to this office. I couldn’t be more proud of her, and I ask you to pray that God would give her wisdom and strength.”

The nomination follows an earlier, unsuccessful attempt by the Trump administration to fill the post. Former U.S. Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C., had previously been nominated for the ambassador role but was not confirmed by the Senate before the end of 2025, with the Senate formally returning his nomination to Trump on January 3. Walker was subsequently appointed to a different position, serving as the State Department’s principal adviser for global religious freedom, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

The ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom leads the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom and serves as a principal adviser to both the president and the secretary of state on matters of religious freedom abroad. The position was established under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.

The Religious Freedom Institute praised Lynch’s nomination in a statement issued Monday, framing the role’s importance within the broader scope of U.S. foreign policy. “Our world is afflicted by an unprecedented scourge of religious persecution today,” said David Trimble, president of the Religious Freedom Institute. “We at RFI understand the vital role the International Religious Freedom Ambassador can and should play in U.S. foreign policy, and we stand ready to support Jane Lynch as she prepares, with the Senate’s approval, to assume the responsibilities of America’s chief diplomat for religious freedom.” Trimble added, “The Senate should enter into the forthcoming confirmation process for Ms. Lynch’s nomination with due diligence and expediency.” The organization identified China, Nigeria, Syria and Nicaragua as among the countries it considers most affected by religious repression, discrimination and violence, areas it said should be a focus of Lynch’s efforts if confirmed.

While best known publicly as a member of the Graham family, Lynch has built her own profile as an author and speaker in recent years, working alongside Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. She hosts a podcast called “Fearless” and has a book, titled “Stand Steady: Fearless Faith in a Compromising Culture,” scheduled for release next month. Lynch has also been a public speaker at notable political and religious events, including the Rededicate 250 prayer gathering commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States, and the 2020 Republican National Convention.

Lynch’s nomination must still be approved by the full Senate before she can formally take office. The chamber currently consists of 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats, meaning Lynch’s confirmation could proceed with Republican support alone if Democratic senators do not back the nomination.

Although international religious freedom policy has generally not been treated as a sharply partisan issue compared with most areas of public policy, confirmation votes for the position have varied considerably in their level of bipartisan support in recent years. Former Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, who also previously served in the U.S. Senate, required a tie-breaking vote from then-Vice President Mike Pence to be confirmed as ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom during Trump’s first term, after receiving no support from Democratic senators in a closely divided chamber. By contrast, Rashad Hussain’s nomination for the same post during the Biden administration passed with broad bipartisan backing, confirmed by an 85-5 vote in the Senate, with only five Republicans voting against him.

With Lynch’s nomination now before the Senate, attention is likely to turn to the timeline and outcome of her confirmation hearings, particularly given the post’s extended vacancy since the start of Trump’s second term and the earlier failed attempt to confirm Walker for the same position. If confirmed, Lynch would become the latest in a line of ambassadors tasked with representing U.S. policy on religious freedom abroad, a role that has taken on added significance amid what advocacy groups describe as a global rise in religious persecution across multiple regions.