×
The Most Effective Ways To Use AI If You’re a Business Owner
Written by
Published on
Join our daily newsletter for breaking news, product launches and deals, research breakdowns, and other industry-leading AI coverage
Join Now

AI’s practical applications for business owners: Artificial intelligence offers tangible benefits for entrepreneurs and side business operators, providing tools to streamline common tasks and enhance productivity.

  • The ubiquity of AI in media and daily life has led to both sci-fi depictions and research-heavy discussions, often obscuring its practical applications for business owners.
  • AI tools can be leveraged to optimize various aspects of business operations, from time management to hiring processes.

Calendar optimization with AI: Motion, an AI-powered tool, helps business owners manage their schedules more effectively by prioritizing tasks and blocking out time efficiently.

  • Motion optimizes calendars by scheduling tasks and prioritizing them based on user inputs.
  • The tool blocks calendar time in increments of 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes, aligning with task durations and completion estimates.

AI-assisted staff training: Chatbase offers a solution for businesses struggling to find time for staff training by creating an AI-powered chatbot based on internal protocols and processes.

  • The chatbot can answer common questions about company policies, such as PTO, safety measures, and specific job-related tasks.
  • This tool reduces the need for constant email communication between staff and management for routine inquiries.

Efficient research with AI summarization: Shortform, a free Chrome extension, uses AI to summarize PDFs and web articles quickly, helping business owners stay informed without spending excessive time reading.

  • The tool provides detailed synopses of articles, allowing users to decide whether further reading is necessary.
  • This can be particularly useful for staying up-to-date in fast-paced industries where time is at a premium.

AI-powered hiring and onboarding: Gohire streamlines the talent acquisition process by assisting with research, discovery, and hiring of candidates, as well as creating onboarding workflows.

  • The tool aims to save time and bandwidth for business owners during the often time-consuming hiring process.
  • By automating parts of the recruitment and onboarding process, Gohire allows entrepreneurs to focus on core business activities.

Automated email responses with AI: Magical, another Chrome extension, helps business owners create personalized, templated email responses for various recipients, including prospects, interns, staff, and solicitors.

  • The tool automatically inputs recipient names and includes the sender’s signature, streamlining repetitive email tasks.
  • This can significantly reduce the time spent on routine communication, allowing for more focus on high-priority tasks.

Best practices for adopting AI tools: To effectively integrate AI into business operations, entrepreneurs should follow a structured approach to tool selection and implementation.

  • Research and select a few AI tools with user-friendly interfaces that align with specific business needs.
  • Take advantage of free trials, which typically last 7 to 14 days, to test the tools’ functionality and fit.
  • Expect an initial learning curve but commit to experimenting with the tools over several days to become proficient.

Overcoming AI adoption challenges: The main hurdle in implementing AI tools is often the initial resistance to change and the effort required to start using new technologies.

  • Approximately 70% of the challenge in adopting AI tools is overcoming personal inertia and taking the first steps to integrate them into daily workflows.
  • Persistence and a willingness to experiment are key to successfully incorporating AI tools into business operations.

Broader implications and future outlook: As AI tools become more prevalent and sophisticated, their potential to transform small business operations grows, potentially leveling the playing field with larger competitors.

  • The increasing accessibility of AI tools for various business functions suggests a future where AI becomes an integral part of entrepreneurship and small business management.
  • As business owners become more comfortable with AI, we may see a shift in how small enterprises operate, potentially leading to increased efficiency and innovation across various industries.
Best Way To Use AI As A Business Owner Or If You Have A Side Business

Recent News

Google does much of its coding work with AI now — its shrinking workforce should offer proof

Google's rapid AI integration sees over a quarter of new code generated by artificial intelligence, signaling a transformative shift in the company's operations and product development.

Meta partners with Lumen to drive network expansion and AI adoption

Meta's network expansion with Lumen paves the way for more advanced AI features across its platforms.

Microsoft begins international rollout of Copilot AI features within Office apps

Microsoft's expansion of AI features in Asia-Pacific subscriptions signals a potential shift in how productivity software is packaged and priced globally.