AI or A-Bye?
- Apr 14
- 6 min read
Nowadays, every app, every google search, every purchase is entertwined with AI tooling. Should it be? The rehortic on the streets is saying hell no, and even going so far as to boycott businesses using AI but could this be a step too far?
FACT: AI for Small Businesses - The Great Equalizer
Using AI focuses on its role as a "great equalizer," allowing smaller, resource-constrained businesses to compete with larger enterprises by increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing productivity without needing to massively increase headcount. As of 2024–2025, adoption is surging, with reports suggesting that 40% to 58% of small businesses are now using AI, and upwards of 90% of those users reporting a positive impact on their operations.
Efficiency
Let's face it, most people aren't running a small business on their own. If they were, they would recognize AI as a new tool in their toolbox to help them get through their to do lists faster. If you disagree, open a small business and see what hours are left to manually draw modern day posters - surprise there are none.
No seriously, the behind the scenes tasks of a small business are never ending and pretty much invisible to the end user (as they should be). But that doesn't mean the aren't there, and the time required to trudge through them the same. Small business owners will learn quick that either they will need to cut corners, or find a way to work smarter - and today that means AI.
Reducing Costs
AI acts as a cost-effective alternative to hiring, enabling small teams to produce marketing content, manage tasks, automate customer interactions, etc.
Big corporations can hire a team to manage each of these tasks individually, but small businesses can't. It's just not possible nor is it possible for 1 person to expertly perform in all these business areas. Something's gotta give, and our wallets can't.
Productivity
Not every small business owner has every skillset required to run all facets of their business. If you're answer is hire someone, see reducing costs above and hired AI below. Small business demands skills in graphic design, marketing, accounting, market research, written word, and more. Asking for all of that in a single person is impossible and unobtainable. So how do you fill in the gaps for skills you don't have? You leavage the tools, options, and technologies that are available to you.
MYTH: You can still be productive and avoid AI.
TL:DR No you can't. Not today and not anymore.
Hired AI
Argument: You can allocate a small budget to hire out single tasks using someone off Fiver.
Truth: Sure, but with a constrainted budget and quick turnaround times, you may have hired a person but the person will use AI somewhere in their process to complete the job. Congrats you just spent money and got AI content still.
Bold to assume? Maybe, but hand drawn design takes days, months even and costs $$$ bucks. Unless someone is a legit career artist, people aren't spending more time to just spend more time on something.
Use Canva
Sure! However, canva's code based is built on AI. Seriously, it is. Yea, you can create posts in less than an hour, but drag and drop, photo frames, background remover, text effects, copy style as options is really AI added to microsoft paint. If you want a graphic design tool without AI, then either use Microsoft Paint or get a degree in graphic design and learn Photoshop. (see point about efficiency above, we don't have the time)
Procreate and an Ipad
Ipad, apple pencil, procreate = at least $600+
One could argue that the apple pencil to ipad to app is computerized and governed by AI to help the user compose a design. How does it know the pressue applied, how to smooth out your line, how to align elements. That's AI honey.
FACT: AI steals art from artists
This is true. It is the consumer's duty to prompt and input AI tools with original ideas and mockups AND to vet the final design to make sure to the best of their knowledge the design and elements aren't stolen.
HOWEVER, the anger needs to be directed at the datacenters who built the AI. It is not the consumer's fault that it steals art. That responsibility is and needs to be placed on the AI creator themselves. So, take a step back and recognize people are doing the best they can with what they have and direct the anger to the true perp - AI corporations.
FACT: AI is harming the planet
Correct, but AI isn't stopping. A small businesses use of AI to help spin up a graphic for a social media post isn't the torch that burns the Earth.
Google processes over 8.5 billion to 13.7 billion searches per day, all embedded and answered using Gemini AI technology.
Amazon heavily uses AI in its shipping and logistics network, all while shipping 17 million packages per day in the US alone, 20-30 million globally.
Apple uses Apple Intelligence to summarize texts, provide predictive text and responses, generate custom emojis, schedule texts, etc for 23 billion imessages per day.
So next time you THINK a small business has used AI, remember who the actual wolves are and who is trying to survive and provide a living for themselves.
TREND: I won't engage with a business that I suspect uses AI
This is self-centered and loud just to be loud. We love an activist, but right now our PDfile president is using AI to post pictures of himself as Jesus. Aka we have bigger problems than your local club using AI to promote an event. If you're that upset, grab a sign and protest at the AI datahub. Harassing a small business and harming their revenue over AI (proof that the business is working within financial limits and means, and being resourceful) but not doing anything against AI itself is activism for show.
While we're at it, this zero engagement mindset usually follows along with long paragraphs on a post they suspect is AI. This only rewards AI generated content and not the actual organic creators you're attempting to be taking a stand for. The AI algorithm will see your angry comments as top engagement and share, and flood the feed with that post because it's processed as "doing well". This disengagement engagement only hurts those you are trying to support.
Sad fact: You cannot avoid AI, even if you think you are. Unless you live off grid and off social media, AI has made its way into your phone's OS, your social media feeds, your doordash delivery tracker.
Verdict: AI isn't optional anymore, it's infrastructure
Trying to avoid it entirely, especially as a small business, isn’t a principled stand, it’s a strategic disadvantage. The reality is that AI has already been baked into the tools, platforms, and systems we all rely on daily. Opting out doesn’t remove AI from your life; it just removes your ability to compete with those using it effectively.
For small businesses, AI is not about cutting corners, it’s about survival. It fills skill gaps, reduces operational strain, and allows lean teams to function at a level that would otherwise require significantly more money, time, or staff. In that sense, it truly is a modern equalizer.
That said, the concerns are valid:
AI does raise ethical issues (especially around art and data use)
AI does have environmental costs
AI is largely controlled by powerful corporations
But here’s the critical distinction:
The responsibility for those systemic issues lies with the companies building and scaling AI. Not the small businesses using it as a tool.
Redirecting frustration toward small, resource-constrained businesses misses the mark. It penalizes people who are adapting, not the entities driving the actual impact.
At the same time, blind use of AI without thought isn’t the answer either. There is a responsibility on users to:
Use AI intentionally, not lazily
Inject originality and human perspective
Avoid obvious replication or theft
Stay aware of the broader impact
Bottom Line
You cannot realistically avoid AI in today’s world
Small businesses using AI are adapting, not exploiting
Ethical and environmental concerns are real, but misdirected at the wrong targets
The smartest path forward is responsible use, not rejection
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