AI-Using US Small Firms Project 33-Point Hiring Gain and 48-Point Revenue Rise
Updated
Updated · Liberty Street Economics - · Oct 8
AI-Using US Small Firms Project 33-Point Hiring Gain and 48-Point Revenue Rise
3 articles · Updated · Liberty Street Economics - · Oct 8
Summary
A 2025 Small Business Credit Survey found U.S. small firms using AI were far more likely than non-users to expect growth over the next 12 months, with a 33-point net hiring outlook versus 15 points and a 48-point revenue outlook versus 21 points.
Those gaps persisted after adjusting for owner age, firm size, profitability, location and prior performance: AI users still showed a 10-point advantage in expected employment growth and a 14-point edge in expected revenue growth.
46% of employer firms said they already used AI, 15% planned to adopt it within a year, and 77% reported no current change in labor costs from AI.
The link was strongest among weaker firms: AI users in fair or poor financial condition had a 21-point higher employment outlook than non-users and a 24-point higher revenue outlook, suggesting AI may ease operational constraints rather than simply reflect optimism.
Among AI users facing technology challenges, revenue expectations were 16 points higher than for peers without those issues, reinforcing the view that small businesses may be using AI to overcome internal bottlenecks.