Introduction
Artificial intelligence is reshaping business practices at an unprecedented pace. A recent survey from ASUS found that two-thirds of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) recognize AI as a transformative force, with some calling it ‘generational.’ The challenge lies in harnessing this potential effectively. Shawn Chang, General Manager of ASUS North America’s System Business Group, recommends a straightforward three-step strategy to begin your AI journey without overwhelming your operations.
What You Need
- Willingness from leadership to explore AI adoption
- Employee cooperation for tool audits and feedback
- Access to a basic IT inventory (software licenses, subscriptions)
- A budget for AI-capable hardware if applicable
- A small, measurable workflow to automate or accelerate
Step 1: Conduct an IT Tool Audit
Your employees are likely already using AI tools—often without formal approval. According to a Business.com survey, 84% of SMB employees use chatbots, 67% use AI-powered search, and 41% use image generators. Additionally, 60% of respondents in the ASUS survey employ AI for virtual meetings, including automated transcripts, real-time translations, and noise cancellation. The goal of an audit is twofold: ensure everyone relies on trusted applications and eliminate duplicate spending on the same tools.
To perform an audit, you can start with a simple employee survey asking which AI tools they use and why. Alternatively, use a third-party tool to scan company devices and identify software usage. This reveals which apps are actually delivering value and which are redundant.
Step 2: Identify One Workflow to Automate or Accelerate
Once you know what tools are in place, pick a single workflow that could benefit from AI. Shawn Chang suggests focusing on tasks that are frequent, involve structured data like spreadsheets or formatted text, and carry low risk if something goes wrong. Ideally, the process should have broad organizational impact so many employees can quickly see the benefit—HR or IT ticketing are classic examples.
Define measurable success before you start. Are you aiming for time saved, fewer resources used, or improved accuracy? The ASUS survey highlights these outcomes:
- 68% report increases in productivity and efficiency
- 61% gain superior data analytics and insights
- 56% achieve more informed decision-making
- 45% see greater responsiveness to customer needs
Use these as benchmarks to evaluate your pilot project.
Step 3: Equip Your Team with Hardware Built for AI Workloads
As you dive deeper, you’ll discover that many AI applications run better on specialized computers. AI PCs include a neural processing unit (NPU) that offloads compute-intensive tasks from the CPU, plus ample memory for running models locally instead of relying on cloud servers. This improves speed, privacy, and reliability. Gartner predicts that AI PCs will become mainstream rapidly, so investing in them now positions your business for future AI workloads.
When selecting hardware, look for systems with dedicated NPUs, at least 16GB of RAM, and support for on-device AI frameworks. Test your chosen workflow on the new hardware to confirm performance gains.
Tips for Success
- Start small and iterate — Pick a single process and expand after proving value.
- Measure everything — Track time savings, error rates, or employee satisfaction before and after.
- Involve employees early — They are your best source of insights and will champion the change.
- Stay informed — AI tools evolve fast; revisit your audit and workflow choices every quarter.
By following this step-by-step plan, your small business can adopt AI in a manageable, cost-effective way—turning generational change into everyday advantage.