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Daily Briefing

Top AI Headlines

AI is reshaping how small businesses operate — from daily workflows to hiring — and owners who adapt now will have a clear edge over those who don't.

1

3 in 4 Small Business Owners Are Using Generative AI — Are You One of Them?

U.S. Bank's 2026 Small Business Perspective survey found that 75% of small business owners are now using generative AI, primarily for marketing, content creation, data analysis, and process automation. If you're not yet in that group, you're increasingly in the minority. America's SBDC is hosting a free AI Day Virtual Summit on July 16 (2–4 p.m. ET) with real small business success stories, advisor use cases, and resources from Google — a low-cost way to get up to speed fast.

2

AI Is Breaking Recruiting for Small Businesses — Here's How to Hire Around It

SHRM's blunt 2026 prediction — 'Recruitment is broken' — is hitting small businesses especially hard. AI tools let candidates blast out hundreds of applications while employer ATS systems screen them back out just as fast, leaving both sides frustrated and 44% of small business owners reporting few or no qualified applicants. The winning move for SMBs is to go back to basics: prioritize referrals, skills-based hiring, and human-led screening over automated filters that weren't built with small business hiring in mind.

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