80% expect to increase AI use as businesses weigh efficiency against data privacy, accuracy and compliance concerns
Stax SMB Confidence in AI – 2026
ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Stax Payments, a leading payment technology provider, today released findings showing that AI has become a mainstream business tool for small and midsize businesses. 80% of technology decision-makers say they’ve used AI for work they otherwise would have hired a consultant or professional to complete, signaling that AI is moving beyond experimentation and becoming part of everyday business operations. While adoption continues to accelerate, businesses remain selective about where they trust AI, particularly in areas involving HR, financial, legal and compliance decisions.
SMBs move beyond AI experimentation
AI is delivering measurable business value for SMBs. Nearly all respondents reported positive outcomes from using AI:
- 96% said AI helps them make business decisions more quickly.
- 95% said AI has increased their confidence in decision-making.
- 94% said AI has helped them better serve customers.
Looking ahead, 80% of respondents expect their organization’s use of AI to increase over the next six months, demonstrating that businesses view AI as an increasingly important part of their long-term operations.
However, adoption remains concentrated in lower-risk, time-intensive areas. Marketing and content creation ranked as the most common use case (61%), followed by graphic design (49%) and business planning (45%). Adoption was lower for functions involving greater regulatory or financial complexity, including human resources (25%), accounting and tax preparation (25%), legal services (22%) and insurance (16%).
“The conversation has shifted from whether SMBs should use AI to where they should use it,” said John Cimba, Chief Executive Officer at Stax. “Business owners are proving they’ll embrace AI when it saves time and improves productivity, but they’re also drawing clear boundaries around decisions that require accuracy, compliance and accountability. As those expectations evolve, we’re focused on delivering AI-powered tools that help businesses work more efficiently while maintaining the trust that’s essential to every transaction.”
Trust remains the gateway to broader AI adoption
While businesses reported positive experiences with AI, concerns about trust continue to influence adoption decisions. More than one-third (34%) cited data privacy and security as their top concern, followed by inaccurate or misleading information (31%) and legal or compliance risks (25%). Privacy concerns were especially pronounced among larger SMBs, with businesses generating more than $5 million in annual revenue significantly more likely to identify data protection as a primary challenge.
The findings suggest that as AI becomes more deeply embedded in day-to-day business operations, organizations are looking beyond productivity gains and placing greater emphasis on transparency, security and responsible implementation.
SMBs plan to reinvest AI-driven efficiency in high-impact growth
When asked how they would use additional time created through AI-enabled efficiencies, respondents most frequently cited activities that support business growth, including generating revenue, strengthening customer relationships, reducing administrative work, improving marketing efforts and investing in employee training.
The survey also found a strong relationship between positive AI experiences and future adoption. Businesses that reported higher satisfaction with AI were significantly more likely to increase investment in the technology over the next six months, suggesting that trust and measurable business outcomes will continue to shape adoption across the SMB market.
The complete findings from Stax’s research are available at here.
Methodology
Stax Payments surveyed 500 U.S.-based small and midsize business technology decision-makers in June 2026. The research examined AI adoption, business applications, perceived benefits, trust considerations and future investment plans.
For more information about Stax, visit www.staxpayments.com.
About Stax
Stax Payments is a leading, high-growth payments technology provider that helps software companies, resellers, and SMBs realize the value of integrated payments for their business. Stax helps drive incremental revenue through frictionless, secure, and reliable payment processing and recurring billing solutions. From robust reporting to easily reconciled payments, Stax offers a full suite of adaptable tools and payment features to build the right solution at any scale, unlocking partner and customer success. Since 2014, Stax has grown to process over $23 billion annually in payments and serve more than 39,000 businesses and software platforms across the U.S. and Canada.
Contacts
Yas Ahmed
Walker Sands for Stax
[email protected]
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/946b24cb-334f-4992-b093-0db7b0fcc852
