- UK SMEs put off ideas because they don't have enough time, Google report claims
- AI tools could boost productivity by 20%, unlocking £198 billion
- Only one in three uses GenAI, one in six uses it daily
Nearly two-thirds (59%) of UK SME owners have put their game-changing ideas on hold due to lack of time, although many agree innovation can boost their profits, new research finds.
Report from Google Cloud offers Artificial Intelligence Toolslike its own Workspace apps, powered by Gemini, can boost SMB productivity by 20% (equivalent to a free extra day per week).
With predictions that UK SMEs could generate an extra £198 billion in productivity gains, Google Cloud has teamed up with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and NatWest to launch a new scheme to get AI into the hands of more SMEs.
Google wants to help UK SMEs embrace artificial intelligence
The three have come together to launch a new national tour, visiting Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh and Cardiff to show local businesses how artificial intelligence can improve efficiency and drive innovation.
Google wants to use AI to address resource gaps, with around two in three (64%) UK SMEs admitting they could achieve “significant revenue growth” simply by spending more time.
“AI has enormous potential to free up the time of the nation’s business leaders so they can focus on strategic, innovative tasks that will drive the growth of their businesses and the economy as a whole,” said Debbie Weinstein, president of Google EMEA.
The scheme emerged after the company published its report. AI Works Research Reportwhich shows that only one in three (34%) UK workers use generative AI at work (and only half of them use it daily).
Looking to the future, a lack of training appears to be preventing SMBs from adopting AI more widely, highlighting the need for more efficient resources. Separately, in the report, Google noted that a few hours of training was enough to double or triple the use of AI, giving workers a starting point for learning on their own.
UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Peter Kyle noted the commitment to partnering with private sector companies such as Google to deliver training initiatives and other support mechanisms for SMEs.
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