10 Ways AI Can Help Your Business Grow
AI is changing the way businesses get things done — and not just for the ‘big tech’ firms. In fact, small-to-medium sized business owners might be the ones set to gain the most from this revolution. With tools more accessible and affordable than ever (many even free), solopreneurs can tap into AI power for a real competitive edge. In this article, we’ll explore how businesses can use AI in practical ways. We’ll also bust some myths and show that the tech isn’t as tricky or expensive as it might seem. What is AI, anyway? In a nutshell, AI is software that uses algorithms to do things in a way that mimics human thinking. AI isn’t the future — it’s already here, changing the way we live and work. From smart home gadgets that preheat your oven to apps that help diagnose health issues, AI is reshaping everyday life. The rise of generative AI (like ChatGPT) over the past few years has accelerated this change. What once felt like science fiction is now the norm, helping both companies and individuals get far more done. The UK is actually one of the big hotspots. With twice as many AI tech firms here as any other nation in Europe, the British AI industry is on course to exceed £4.5 billion in value. London is home to several of world’s biggest names, including DeepMind, Google’s own AI lab. AI adoption among small businesses is booming. Nearly nine in ten (88%) now use AI tools, with 73% saying these tools have boosted their competitiveness, according to the SBE Council’s 2025 Small Business Check Up and Tech Use Survey. It just goes to show how essential AI has become for staying competitive. See also: What is the .AI Domain (and How Do I Get One)? What’s the difference: AI, machine learning, and automation? ☐ Artificial Intelligence (AI): Machines doing human-like tasks, such as understanding language or generating ideas. The goal is to make systems that think and learn like us. ☐ Machine Learning (ML): A type of AI where machines learn from data. They spot patterns, make predictions, and improve over time — without being programmed for every scenario. ☐ Automation: Tech that handles repetitive tasks automatically (like email replies). It follows set rules, not learning — though it often pairs with AI. Lots of companies are sneakily using “AI” these days when “automated” might be more accurate (but with all the buzz around AI, who can blame them?) Why use AI for your business? Running your own business means wearing many hats — customer service, marketing, accounting, even making the tea. As your to-do list grows, AI helps you work smarter. Sure, you might already know that ChatGPT can answer questions faster than Google, come up with product name ideas, or write a haiku about your cat. But you might be surprised by just how much more it can do for business: ✓ Boosted productivity AI handles the mundane tasks — sorting emails, booking appointments, managing stock. That frees up time to focus on business. And it can do so even when you’re not around. 44% of business leaders have reported increased productivity through AI. ✓ Faster content creation Content creation is one of the most time-consuming tasks for small business owners. AI speeds things up, helping produce product descriptions, campaign emails, blogs, and social posts in moments. That means less time staring at a blank page and more time connecting with customers. ✓ Improved customer Service Chatbots offer 24/7 support, while AI delivers personalised recommendations (e.g., “Customers who bought X also loved Y”). Used the right way it can analyse and feedback to spot what delights (or frustrates) your customers, building loyalty fast. ✓ Lower costs 93% of small business owners agree AI can be a cost-effective way to increase profits. Be that assisting in creative work or simply automating task to free up resources, AI can help reduce overheads. ✓ Smarter decisions AI can gather and analyse data like shopping habits or product trends in real time, giving business owners the insights they need to make smarter choices. AI is also shaping search results. To be sure your business gets noticed, check out: How to Get Your Business Seen in Google’s New AI Mode 10 ways to use AI for your small business AI can be a huge time-saver for small businesses, whether it’s handling everyday tasks, helping with marketing, or supporting your team. Here are ten areas where AI can make a real difference, with our top picks and a few alternatives worth checking out. 1. Automating the daily grind Our Pick: Microsoft 365 Microsoft 365 comes packed with AI features to help with everyday tasks. Suggesting email replies, automating work in Word and Excel, and even taking notes (and summarising) Teams meetings — it’s all built into the apps you already use, making M365 a smart choice for businesses looking to achieve great things. Copilot, Microsoft’s AI tool for Windows, is now more fully-connected with M365. Serving to replace the Cortana assistant (poor old Cortana!), Copilot works alongside Microsoft 365 to make tasks easier, a bit like your virtual PA. See also: More Than Email – M365 Add-Ons to Power Your Small Business More Top Picks: ☐ ClickUp AI – An in-browser productivity app that writes task descriptions, drafts emails, and helps keep projects on track. Great for keeping teams organised and keeping on top of progress. ☐ Fireflies.ai – Records meetings via browser or extension, transcribes conversations, and produces clear summaries. Useful for catching details you might have missed. ☐ Motion – A smart calendar available as both an app and in-browser tool that schedules tasks and builds itineraries. ☐ Notion AI – Enhances note-taking, summarises thoughts, and drafts documents across browser and mobile. Makes organising ideas and sharing them easier. 2. Brainstorming (anything!) Coming up with ideas on your own can be tough, especially if you’re running things solo or working remotely. And while you could
Is your website host expecting the unexpected?
In business reliability matters, but it’s an unfortunate fact that some things are out of your hands. Companies inevitably have to put their trust in others in order to operate successfully. It might be the courier service that takes your product to the customer, or the electricity supplier that keeps your computers running; whatever sector you’re in, no business stands alone. But a chain is only as strong as its weakest link and if one of the companies you rely on encounters problems, it can stop you providing a top class service leading to lost customers and lost income. Although you can’t completely protect yourself against such occurrences, you can mitigate them by placing your trust in the right partners. Here at 123-reg we know how much our customers rely on their websites to generate business and attract customers – that’s why we take steps to ensure the unforeseen doesn’t lead to your company going offline. Preparing for the unknown Take our core name servers, which are located in two separate data centres in Leeds, England and Cologne, Germany. On the face of it, that seems like an insignificant fact, but in practice this set up means that if one of our data centres is hit by a power cut, or worse, then the other one can take up the slack so your website will stay online. When a website host runs all its name servers out of one location and something goes wrong, websites go offline meaning businesses are left hanging until the issue is resolved. In short, businesses and website owners, big and small, can trust 123-reg to keep them online because we’re prepared for the unexpected.
Competition, convenience & cost: how live chat can transform a small business
Live chat is a cost effective and easy way of allowing customers to make contact with support or sales agents via a real time conversation. For an ever increasing number of people, live chat has and will continue to be an invaluable resource.