Small Business? These 5 AI Tools Can Save You Time, Money, & Boost Growth

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues its march into every corner of business operations, it's not just the tech behemoths like Amazon or Google driving innovation. According to Forbes, small businesses — which account for around 90 per cent of industries and nearly half of global GDP — stand to benefit immensely from the AI revolution. From handling tedious admin tasks to elevating customer service, AI is now offering tools that can help even the smallest of businesses punch above their weight.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the most impactful AI tools currently transforming small business operations.

Microsoft 365 Copilot Turns Office Apps Into AI Powerhouses

For years, small businesses have relied on Microsoft’s Office suite to manage everything from finances to presentations. Now, with the integration of Microsoft 365 Copilot, these familiar tools are getting a powerful AI boost. By embedding AI into Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and more, Copilot enables users to automate routine tasks using simple natural language prompts.

In Excel, for instance, Copilot can suggest complex formulas, generate visual data representations, and detect emerging trends from business metrics. PowerPoint users can swiftly generate entire slide decks, while Teams conversations can be automatically summarised, turning discussions into actionable tasks and schedules. For those ready to dive deeper, Copilot Studio allows businesses to create autonomous agents capable of managing complex workflows with minimal supervision.

Salesforce Agentforce Assistant Unlocks Customer Data Insights

Salesforce’s newly rebranded Agentforce Assistant, formerly known as Einstein Copilot, offers small businesses an intuitive way to interact with customer data. Rather than combing through countless reports, users can simply ask questions and receive actionable insights.

"Customer data holds all sorts of clues to business success — imagine if you could just talk to it and ask it questions," explains Salesforce. The tool can generate sales emails, update client records intelligently, and even create follow-up tasks based on ongoing interactions. Backed by Salesforce’s years of domain expertise, Agentforce Assistant offers small businesses the kind of CRM muscle that was once reserved for enterprise giants.

Adobe Express Simplifies Marketing Content Creation

Creating professional marketing materials has always been a challenge for small businesses with limited budgets. Adobe Express changes that. Described as a streamlined version of Adobe’s full creative suite, Express leverages generative AI and Adobe’s proprietary Firefly AI engine to simplify content production.

A standout feature is Adobe’s commitment to training its AI models exclusively on data it owns, which reduces the legal uncertainties many businesses fear as AI regulations evolve. Adobe Express is particularly effective for creating videos and other marketing assets, allowing small businesses to maintain a polished brand presence without needing a full creative team.

Descript Revolutionises Video Editing For Non-Experts

Video marketing continues to dominate, but traditional video production can be both expensive and technical. Descript makes it accessible for everyone. Its AI-powered platform allows users to edit video content simply by editing the transcript, making rearrangements, cuts, and overdubs astonishingly easy.

Descript's generative AI features include automatic transcription, virtual green screens, voice cloning, and the ability to clean up filler words like "uhms" and "errs." As a result, businesses can produce professional-grade videos without costly post-production work or specialised skills.

Freshdesk Freddy AI Copilot Enhances Customer Support

Customer service is rapidly emerging as one of the strongest applications for generative AI. Freshdesk’s Freddy AI Copilot provides businesses with a tireless digital support agent capable of handling customer inquiries around the clock.

The tool can autonomously answer questions, escalate issues when necessary, and even process refunds. "Freddy analyses the sentiment of customer communications to draft knowledge-based articles and FAQs," says the company. Designed with small businesses in mind, Freddy offers scalable service levels and competitive pricing, making advanced AI-driven support accessible to companies of all sizes.

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