34,000 Small Businesses Said AI Is Working. The Data Says Otherwise
34,000 Small Businesses Said AI Is Working. The Data Says Otherwise
Publish Date: 2026-05-29 19:41:00
Source Domain: www.forbes.com
- The 2026 QuickBooks AI Impact Report revealed impressive data on the use of AI in small businesses, with a significant increase in AI usage and reported revenue and productivity gains.
- However, the report highlighted poor measurement practices, as most businesses lacked baseline data and specific metrics to measure AI success.
- The “Measurement Problem” in AI implementation includes missing baseline data for human performance and the inability to attribute changes in success to AI or external factors.
- Forrester predicts that 55% of AI projects will not meet their intended goals due to lack of clear definitions of success before launch.
- To effectively measure AI ROI, small businesses should track five key numbers: time saved, output quality, revenue per AI-supported activity, error rates, and tool cost versus value delivered.
- The adoption of AI without proper measurement can lead to businesses spending money on unproven tools and can hinder proper evaluation of AI’s effectiveness.
- Small businesses can improve AI measurement by identifying and tracking specific metrics, determining changes launched at the same time, separating revenue from AI and other sources, and running a 30-day measurement to assess improvement.
