AI for small business
AI for small businesses (10 to 49 staff)
For firms with 10 to 49 staff: realistic first AI projects, how to buy help, what businesses this size spend and the free support available.
Topic · 13 articles
Generative AI and LLM implementation
Building and rolling out tools based on large language models, such as assistants, drafting tools and search over a business's own documents.
AI for small business
AI for micro businesses and sole traders
What AI can realistically do for a sole trader or a business with up to 9 staff, where to start, what help costs and where to find free support.
AI for small business
AI for small business: a plain-English guide
What AI can and cannot do for a small business today, where to start, and how to tell a useful tool from an expensive distraction.
AI in practice
AI security for small businesses: a practical guide
Practical AI security for small businesses: securing accounts and settings, stopping data leaks, prompt injection, AI agents and Cyber Essentials.
Choosing a consultant
Security questions to ask an AI supplier or consultant
The security questions to ask an AI supplier or consultant before you sign, with what good and worrying answers look like.
AI for small business
Becoming an AI-enabled business: beyond the tools
AI transformation for a small business changes more than software: how work, ownership and know-how are organised, and what you can skip.
AI in practice
Bringing your team with you: people and change in AI
AI tools fail when staff do not trust or use them. How a small business can involve its team, talk honestly about change and build skills in everyday work.
AI in practice
Getting your data ready for AI without a big clean-up
You do not need perfect data to start with AI. How to tidy just the information your first use needs, and avoid the mistakes that make AI confidently wrong.
Choosing a consultant
How to avoid AI lock-in when you hire outside help
What AI lock-in looks like for a small business, and the questions about your data, exports and handover to settle before you sign anything.
Choosing a consultant
How to tell if an AI demo will work for your business
A polished demo shows an AI tool can work, not that it will work on your data. How to test a demo properly before you sign anything.
AI in practice
Keeping a human in charge: simple AI guardrails
Practical guardrails for AI tools and agents in a small business. Decide what AI may do alone, what needs a person's approval, and how to undo mistakes.
AI in practice
Prompt injection explained for small businesses
Prompt injection explained in plain English, with small-business examples, what the NCSC says about it and the questions to ask an AI supplier.
AI for small business
Start with the problem, not the tool: your first AI use
How to pick a first AI use case that is worth doing, from a short list of everyday tasks, and how to check that AI is the right answer at all.