Gusto Survey Finds 67% of US Small Businesses Use AI

Payroll company Gusto says 67% of US small businesses now use AI tools, according to its 2026 State of Small Business report, released in a press release. The survey covered 1,731 owners of businesses with 24 or fewer employees.

Of those using AI, 19% are experimenting, 28% use it for some tasks, 15% use it regularly across several functions and 5% say it is built into every part of the business where possible. Professional services lead, with 27% using AI across several functions or the whole business.

One in four businesses with employees now has an AI policy, up from 15% last year. Owners are most comfortable letting AI handle communication with limited review, and far less comfortable with data analysis or customer questions. The survey is Gusto's own research.