Whenever a new technology emerges, there are always early adopters eager to jump in, laggards who hold back and a whole lot of uncertainty in between. We’ve seen this play out many times before.
Remember when social media took off in the 2010s? Some businesses rushed to adopt it, fearing they’d miss out on connecting with customers in new ways, while others were held back by concerns over privacy or simply not knowing how to leverage it.
Today, SMBs find themselves at a similar crossroads with Artificial Intelligence (AI). On the one hand, there’s the fear of missing out (FOMO) — the worry that delaying AI adoption could leave them behind competition. On the other, there’s fear of AI — concerns about its complexity, cost, impact and future.
A study by Builder.ai found that 40% of SMBs worry about missing out if they delay AI adoption, while 54% remain cautious about unknowns surrounding it.
In this blog, we’ll explore both sides of this dilemma and help you decide whether you should be riding the wave or waiting it out. We’ll also tell you how Builder.ai is empowering SMBs by offering user-friendly and scalable AI-powered solutions that address their fears and unlock their potential.
Let’s dive in 👇
Understanding the FOMO of AI
Businesses across various sectors are feeling the pressure of AI FOMO, intensified by the realisation that it could upturn entire industries. This has driven AI investments to a massive $300 bn in 2024, up from just $40 bn in 2019. Let’s look deeper into the reasons for AI FOMO:
Market pressure
Big tech and large enterprises are rapidly adopting AI to automate processes and improve customer experiences. For instance, big manufacturing companies are using AI to minimise downtime. This is allowing them to set new standards that SMBs feel compelled to meet.
This widespread adoption trickles down to SMBs, creating an expectation to follow suit or risk falling behind. In fact, according to Builder.ai study, 71% of SMBs in both the U.K. and U.S. are already investing in AI, showing that the technology is quickly becoming standard.
Competitive advantage
More and more SMBs feel that AI can increase their competitive advantage. A staggering 56% SMBs expect AI to make their business more efficient, making a clear driver of productivity and growth.
For instance, an increasing number of ecommerce stores are using AI-powered analytics to predict customer preferences and adjust their offerings accordingly. This gives them an edge over competitors who rely on guesswork.
As more and more SMBs tap into AI advancements, the gap widens between those who adopt it and those who don’t
Long-term growth
While many businesses have initial hesitations around AI adoption, SMBs view AI as not just a short-term tool, but as a technology for sustained growth.
Despite their fears, almost 54% SMBs plan to increase investment over the next year. This trend shows that the market is changing from being careful to being confident. SMBs think that by committing to AI today they're essentially laying the groundwork for future-proofing their operations.
Fear of AI: concerns and misconceptions
Despite its potential, many SMBs hesitate to adopt AI due to several key concerns:
High cost
A lot of SMBs think AI comes with a hefty price tag, and it’s easy to see why. In fact, 35% of SMBs in the U.K. and 27% in the U.S. worry about the high costs. For smaller businesses with tight budgets, AI might seem like a risk not worth taking.
Integration issues
Another major fear for SMBs is how AI will integrate with their existing systems. In both the U.K. and U.S., 29% of SMBs worry that AI solutions may not work seamlessly with their current operations.
On top of that, 32% of U.K. SMBs feel they lack the skilled staff needed to implement AI effectively. Without the right expertise, it’s hard to know where to start and what to do if things don’t work out as planned.
Employee resistance
Resistance to AI adoption isn’t just external. Many SMBs feel that it can come from within the organisation. In the U.S., 28% of SMBs report concerns about employee pushback when implementing AI.
Business owners hesitate to adopt AI out of concerns for their employees, as workers fear that AI will replace their jobs or change their roles in ways they’re unprepared for.
Unknown future
Then there’s fear of the unknown. 30% of SMBs in the U.K. and U.S. say they’re worried about AI’s uncertain future. These fears come from uncertainty about AI’s long-term impact on industries, regulations and society at large.
Will AI lead to unforeseen challenges like over-dependence on automation? Will it evolve too rapidly for SMBs to keep pace? For businesses already stretched thin, these questions can feel overwhelming.
“I've observed that our SMB customers are cautiously optimistic about AI adoption and while they know it’s essential to staying competitive and accelerate their digital transformation, they’re held back by fears around costs, skills and integration. They often struggle with knowing where to begin or how to secure the necessary resources,” - Sachin Dev Duggal, Founder and Chief Wizard at Builder.ai. |
How Builder.ai bridges the gap for SMBs
Coming back to the social media analogy — when Facebook and Twitter first took off, it quickly became clear that success wasn’t about jumping in first or staying on the sidelines. The real winners were the businesses that approached it strategically and figured out how to make the technology work for them.
This is exactly where Builder.ai steps in for SMBs. We bridge the gap between FOMO and fear of AI by empowering SMBs to harness its potential through custom software — without requiring any technical expertise. Here’s how we do it 👇
AI-powered development
We use Natasha, the world’s first AI-powered Product Manager, to build your software. She uses Builder Knowledge Graph to guide the entire software development process with unparalleled precision and speed.
Natasha takes the guesswork and complexity out of development, giving SMBs the confidence to create software using AI.
Pre-built features for faster deployment
Our AI-powered assembly line reimagines how software is built. By integrating 650+ reusable, LEGO-like features called Building Blocks™, Natasha automates much of the development process and cuts down on human effort.
This means SMBs get tailored, high-quality software at a fraction of the time and cost of traditional development methods.
Tailored solutions
We at Builder.ai understand that every business is different. This is why we offer AI-powered solutions tailored to your business’s unique needs.
No matter if you're a retailer looking to manage inventory or a service provider wanting to enhance customer experience, we create software customised to your business using AI.
Fully managed service
Unlike no-code app builders that come with a learning curve, our fully managed service lets you skip the technical stuff and you don’t have to go through any online coding courses or tutorials.
This means you don’t need to worry about design, coding, testing, integration or maintenance. We handle everything from start to finish so you can focus on growing your business.
Real-life success stories
At Builder.ai we believe in delivering results that speak for themselves. Here’s how our AI-powered software development has helped SMBs thrive:
Dubai Refreshments
Dubai Refreshments wanted to replace manual processes and empower their employees to focus on providing excellent customer service.
With the help of Natasha, we built a bespoke software platform that empowered their employees. We also made sure that platform worked seamlessly with its existing SAP solution so that existing operations weren’t hindered in any way.
The result? Instant online order capturing completely replaces the need for manual spreadsheets. This not only improved efficiency but also enabled employees to focus on their customers.
Qure
Qure is bringing healthcare to the 24 million people in rural Kerala by connecting patients, pharmacies and doctors in a single place.
Using our AI-powered software assembly line, we created a platform that allows doctors to diagnose remotely over video chat and prescribe medication that’s delivered directly to patients' homes or their local pharmacies. Plus, the system securely stores all patient data, creating a comprehensive medical history for every user.
Looking ahead…
As evident in our survey, it’s clear that AI has already begun reshaping how SMBs operate and scale. Moving into 2025, the days of thinking AI as a distant, complicated technology will be a thing of the past. It's already here and has already become an important part of business.
And as its adoption grows, we’ll see even more innovative ways it can drive growth and success for SMBs.
At Builder.ai, through our AI-powered solutions, we’re well positioned to help SMBs take benefits of this technology, unlocking their potential.
“AI shouldn’t be exclusive to big corporations. SMBs need, expect and deserve the same technological edge especially as it allows them to punch above their weight, and our mission at builder.ai is to bridge that gap – providing accessible AI-powered/infused solutions that align with their ambitions, needs and goals.” - Sachin Dev Duggal, Founder and Chief Wizard at Builder.ai. |
If you want to learn more about how Builder.ai is helping SMBs adopt AI, click on this banner to book a call 👇
Want to start your app project with us?
Book a demoSpeak with one of our product experts today.
By proceeding you agree to Builder.ai’s privacy policy and terms and conditions
Stories published by the editorial team at Builder.ai.