AI & Small Business Research Study

Main Street Assembly conducted a national research study with small businesses and economic development entities to better understand the current AI adoption practices and anticipated impact on small businesses, workers and specific marginalized populations. The project involved a considerable amount of outreach and relationship building with local intermediaries to better understand regional and industry dynamics. A survey was disseminated to small businesses in 22 states to obtain high level insights and interviews were conducted with select entities to gain a deeper understanding of attitudes, motivations, and other context. The data and findings were used to build a Small Business AI Toolkit with practical recommendations around risk mitigation, adoption strategies, and best practices for workers.