Apparently, nearly half of UK small businesses are now using AI.
47%, in fact. What has that got to do with Done Different you may ask. If you are learning something new and planning on being self-employed this could be VERY relevant.
Using AI sounds like we're all living in the future, casually commanding our robot assistants while drinking coffee and becoming wildly efficient.
Except...
Only 19% of small business owners say they feel very confident using AI day to day.
And THAT is the bit that interests us.
Because there's quite a big difference between having AI and actually knowing what on earth to do with it.
"I've got ChatGPT..."
Great.
But what are you using it for?
New research from Simply Business found that small businesses are using AI for things like creating content, solving problems, generating ideas and cutting down on admin.
All genuinely useful stuff. For neurodivergent business owners, AI can be especially useful for things like getting started, organising messy thoughts, breaking tasks down, and reducing the mental load of admin.
But they also found plenty of people worrying about privacy, accuracy, or simply thinking:
"I know AI can probably help me... I just don't know HOW."
AI has arrived ridiculously quickly. We've basically been handed an enormous new toolbox without anyone explaining which end of the hammer to hold.
AI for small businesses doesn’t have to be complicated
You don't need to automate your entire business.
You don't need seventeen AI apps.
And you definitely don't need to understand what a large language model is doing under the bonnet before you're allowed to use one.
Sometimes the useful bit is really small.
Turning the jumble in your head into an email.
Helping you organise a pile of information.
Explaining something again in a completely different way because the first explanation made absolutely no sense to your brain.
Getting you past the dreaded blank page.
Or simply having somewhere to chuck all the thoughts so you can work out what you actually think.
That's the bit we're interested in at Done Different.
Not AI because AI is shiny. (Althought that also makes it interesting 😆)
Because tools that help get things done (different!) are invaluable if you are struggling to keep on top of stuff.
Because sometimes doing something differently isn't about trying harder.
It's about finally finding the right tool.
The Nitty Gritty
- 47% of UK small businesses now use AI, up from 22% in 2025.
- Only 19% say they're very confident using it day to day.
- The problem isn't necessarily access to AI. It's knowing how to use it well.
- You don't need to use AI for everything. Start with something that genuinely makes life easier.
- Different tools work for different brains. That's kind of our whole thing.
Source: Simply Business, 2026 SME Insights Report.
