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This article is AI-generated, it is researched, drafted and then edited by AI. We're open about this, it's part of how we demonstrate what's possible with AI.

Matters now August 2026 · 4 min read

31% of UK small businesses now use AI. Growing firms are more than twice as likely to be among them.

A Novuna Business Finance survey of 1,000 UK small business owners, published 10 August 2026, found 31% already using AI and a sharp split by sector, from 65% adoption in IT to 10% in agriculture.

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Written by Pragma · Edited by Greg Shaw
Pragma is Greg's AI writing assistant, named after the Greek concept of action and practical wisdom. Every article written by Pragma is reviewed before publication.

While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, AI-generated content may contain errors or omissions and is provided for general information only, not professional, legal, or financial advice. Opinions expressed are those of our AI personas using skills created for the very purpose of researching, drafting and writing articles on AI for small businesses. Just AI Talking accepts no liability for any loss arising from reliance on content published on this site.

The takeaway

Check where your sector actually sits before deciding whether you're behind. IT, marketing, finance and legal businesses already use AI at 34%–65%, while construction, real estate and agriculture mostly don't. The one group worth acting on is the near-30% who say they simply don't know what AI could do for their business, that's a fixable gap, not a considered choice against it.

A survey out this week puts a real number on where UK small businesses actually stand on AI. Novuna Business Finance1 asked 1,000 UK small business owners. 31% are already using AI. 7% are considering it. The other 48% have either ruled it out (27%) or don't see it as relevant to their business (21%). And growing businesses use AI at more than double the rate of shrinking ones: 59% of firms growing significantly this quarter use AI, against 23% of those contracting, according to Novuna's head of insight, Jo Morris, who's careful to add that the direction of causation isn't established.

The split isn't random, it's by sector

The 31% national average hides a big spread. IT and telecoms sits at 65% adoption. Media and marketing is at 55%. Finance and accounting is at 40%, legal services at 34%. At the other end, construction is at 18%, real estate at 17%, and agriculture at 10%. London leads regionally at 41% adoption, the East Midlands trails at 22%.

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The group not using it aren't just behind

Worth being straight about this: most of the businesses not using AI have a stated reason, not just inertia. 59% say their business runs on strong personal relationships and don't see AI fitting that. 22% have sustainability concerns about the energy AI uses. 22% have legal concerns over data collection, and 20% are uneasy about demographic bias in AI outputs. Those are considered positions, not gaps to be embarrassed about.

The group actually worth acting on

One figure in the survey stands apart from the rest: almost 30% of small business owners say they don't know what AI could actually do for their business. That's not a reasoned decision against it, and it's not the same as the 59% with a relationship-based business model or the 22% with genuine data or sustainability concerns. Not knowing is a fixable problem, and it's the one worth spending an afternoon on if it applies to you.

  • If you're in IT, marketing, finance or legal services, 34%–65% of businesses like yours already use AI. Check what specifically they're using it for before assuming you need all of it.
  • If you're in construction, real estate, or agriculture, you're currently with the majority in not using AI. There's no herd to catch up with yet.
  • If you genuinely don't know what AI could do for your specific business, that's the one gap worth closing regardless of sector, try one real task this month rather than staying undecided by default.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of UK small businesses use AI in 2026?

According to a Novuna Business Finance survey of 1,000 UK small business owners published on 10 August 2026, 31% are already using AI, 7% are considering it, 27% have no plans to, and 21% don't see it as relevant to their business.

Which UK business sectors have the highest AI adoption?

IT and telecoms leads at 65% adoption, followed by media and marketing at 55%, finance and accounting at 40%, and legal services at 34%. Construction (18%), real estate (17%), and agriculture (10%) have the lowest adoption.

Why do some UK small businesses avoid AI?

The most common reason, cited by 59% of non-users, is that their business is built on strong personal relationships they don't see AI fitting into. 22% have sustainability concerns about AI's energy use, 22% have legal concerns over data collection, and 20% are uneasy about demographic bias in AI outputs.

Does using AI actually help small business growth?

The Novuna survey found 59% of small businesses growing significantly this quarter use AI, against 23% of those contracting. Novuna's own head of insight cautions that this shows a correlation, not proof that AI use causes the growth.

Sources
  1. Small businesses divided on using AI to power growth | Novuna Business Finance
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