Portugal

AI gives SMEs a new opportunity to compete with the ability of a large enterprise

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 06/10/2026, 08:26:24 UTC.

Briefings

NODUS and Gusto Insights report that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can achieve productivity gains exceeding 20% by integrating AI without expanding physical infrastructure. A 2026 study by Brynjolfsson et al. found a 15% average productivity increase for workers using AI assistance. The evidence highlights a significant adoption gap in Europe, where only 17% of SMEs use AI compared to 55% of large firms, presenting an opportunity for compact, hybrid organizational models led by human decision-makers.

Key points

• NODUS and Gusto Insights report that 32% of SMEs with defined AI strategies claim productivity improvements exceeding 20%.
• A 2026 study by Brynjolfsson, Li, and Raymon found a 15% average productivity increase for workers using AI assistance.

Context

NODUS, an infrastructure specialist, argues AI allows SMEs to compete with large firms by increasing operational capacity without expanding infrastructure. The evidence covers Europe's adoption gap (17% SMEs vs 55% large firms) and cites the 2026 Gusto Insights study on productivity gains.

Limitations

Evidence is limited to Europe; adoption rates vary significantly by firm size. The 2026 Gusto Insights data represents a snapshot of self-reported productivity improvements rather than verified outcomes. The Brynjolfsson et al. study is from The Quarterly Journal of Economics and may be subject to publication bias or methodological constraints.

Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 19/10/2026, 08:22:35 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.

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