As many as 93% of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in India using artificial intelligence (AI) have experienced revenue growth, a global AI CRM company said in its report.
The report titled ‘6th Edition Small & Medium Business Trends’ surveyed 3,350 SMB leaders across 26 countries, including 200 from India, highlighting the transformative potential of AI and autonomous agents for SMBs in navigating an evolving business landscape.
In India, 78% of SMBs are either using or testing AI technologies. The top AI use cases include automated service chatbots, marketing campaign optimisation and content generation. The report also found that 85% of Indian SMBs remain optimistic about their future, with AI playing a crucial role in driving growth and productivity.
Globally, 75% of SMBs are experimenting with or implementing AI, leveraging it to boost revenue, productivity and customer experience.
Despite the benefits, Indian SMBs face hurdles in adopting rapidly advancing technologies. According to the report, 60% of Indian SMB leaders struggle to keep up with technological changes and 35% report insufficient time to master tools used by their companies. Additionally, 41% are concerned that their businesses risk being left behind in the AI race.
Data quality also emerged as a key factor in maximising AI benefits. According to the report, 86% of Indian SMBs believe that improving data quality would further increase their revenue.
The survey noted that 91% of Indian SMBs are willing to spend more on technology from trusted vendors. However, challenges such as security, compliance, and poor data quality remain top concerns.
“AI and agents are reshaping what’s possible across business functions like marketing, sales, service, and commerce. Small businesses are demonstrating that innovation and growth are not limited by size,” Arun Kumar Parameswaran, managing director – sales, Salesforce India, said.
“By leveraging AI-driven technologies such as autonomous agents, SMBs are unlocking efficient ways to scale—delivering personalised customer experiences and optimising back-office operations. With solutions like Agentforce, small businesses are not just keeping pace but leading the way, driving productivity, enhancing customer satisfaction, and achieving remarkable revenue growth,” he added.
