76% of SMB owners are automating work. The next step is making sure they're doing it safely.

A Zapier-commissioned survey of 508 U.S. small and midsize business owners and operators found that 76% use automation, including rule-based workflows, embedded AI features, and AI-driven systems that can act across applications, while 94% of users reported benefits such as improved consistency, cost savings, and time for higher-value work. However, 55% still have manual processes they want to automate, mainly because of uncertainty about suitable tools, perceived cost, and technical complexity; reported consequences include overtime, costly errors, and delayed work. Seventy percent expect AI to improve their competitive position over the next two years, prompting the guide to emphasize practical AI governance rather than unstructured adoption. It recommends beginning with repetitive, measurable tasks, consulting employees who perform them, assessing the cost of manual work, and using accessible no-code tools. To manage risks as adoption expands, it advises creating concise policies covering approved tools, data restrictions, ownership, error reporting, policy reviews, and human-review requirements, while incorporating workflow checkpoints, activity records, training, and regularly updated systems.

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