High Adoption, Low Frequency: The Maturity Gap
AI is firmly on the agenda for SMBs, with 86% of leaders expressing comfort with AI usage by non-IT employees. However, only one-third report daily AI usage, and just 16% use it weekly. Despite this, 35% of SMBs view their AI usage as “very mature”, surpassing the 22% reported by larger enterprises.
Cost of Inaction: Automation as a Missed Opportunity
Concerns are growing over the risks of lagging in AI adoption. For 28% of SMB leaders, the greatest cost of inaction is increased operational expenses due to missed automation opportunities, whereas only 26% of the broader business community cite falling behind competitors as their top concern.
In Southeast Asia, varied levels of digital maturity across countries and industries add another layer of complexity, calling for customised AI strategies to help SMBs maximise their transformation efforts.
Training, Security, and Structural Challenges
Despite optimism—72% expect AI to drive the century’s biggest productivity gains, and 76% view it as key to improved business performance—there remains a significant skills gap. While many leaders feel confident in their AI knowledge, 38% cite a lack of training as their primary obstacle.
Security is another pressing concern: 74% worry about data management risks, and 65% confine AI use to secure frameworks. Notably, 77% of respondents say they wouldn’t bet a week’s salary on their company’s ability to manage risks like unauthorised AI tool usage.
Infrastructure Still Lagging—But Investment Is Coming
47% of SMB leaders admit they lack the infrastructure to scale AI effectively. Yet momentum is strong: 75% plan to increase AI investments over the next 6–12 months. This surge in funding reflects a shift from early experimentation to serious, enterprise-wide implementation—particularly vital in Southeast Asia, where SMB agility drives national economic growth.
TeamViewer Intelligence: Driving Practical AI Use for SMBs
For Southeast Asian SMBs, advanced tools like TeamViewer CoPilot are unlocking the potential of AI without requiring complex resources. CoPilot serves as a digital assistant embedded in remote support sessions, empowering IT teams to work more efficiently.
With session insights, analytics, and task automation, TeamViewer CoPilot enables agents to make faster decisions, complete routine processes, and deliver higher service levels without leaving their workflows. This tool helps SMBs address real-world challenges like IT efficiency, service quality, and downtime reduction.
“SMBs are clearly motivated to embrace AI, but many are still searching for the right way to turn early adoption into lasting impact,” said Artus Rupalla, Director of Product Management at TeamViewer. “The key isn’t just more tools, but smarter integration—solutions that bring automation, insight, and consistency into everyday operations. This research confirms what we’re seeing across our customer base: SMBs want AI that solves real problems, not just theoretical ones.”
With practical solutions like TeamViewer Intelligence, SMBs can now move confidently from AI experimentation to execution, unlocking performance and productivity gains at scale.
