Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) need to move beyond using artificial intelligence (AI) for simple tasks and integrate the technology into their wider business operations, according to an educator.

Jaime Noel Santos, president of Thames International Business School, said businesses could gain more from AI by using it to redesign workflows, improve decision-making and develop new products and business models. 

Santos classified AI users into four stages: explorers, practitioners, strategists and optimizers.

He said many entrepreneurs remain explorers or practitioners, using AI for searches, content creation, drafting, summarizing and other tasks that improve existing work. The goal, he said, should be to progress toward strategic and operational uses.

Santos said MSMEs do not necessarily need more AI tools but should consider how the technology can take on defined, recurring business functions.

An AI assistant, for example, could review weekly sales, flag unusual charges, identify missing information and prepare questions for management meetings.

He emphasized that for these systems to be useful, businesses should provide approved information and context, establish repeatable processes and define expected outputs. AI should also be tested and improved through feedback.

Santos stressed that AI systems must distinguish facts from assumptions, flag missing or conflicting information and acknowledge when data cannot be verified. They should also protect confidential and personal information and avoid fabricating figures, sources or decisions.

He outlined three stages of AI adoption: improving productivity, transforming workflows and ultimately innovating business models.

For MSMEs, Santos said the bigger opportunity lies in using AI to rethink how businesses operate and create value, rather than simply automating individual tasks.