In progressPrimary dataLead Researcher
Working title
The Hidden Costs of AI Adoption in Small Businesses: Survey Evidence from Local Business Owners
I'm studying how small business owners evaluate, adopt, abandon, and measure ROI from AI and digital tools. The project uses primary data from in-person owner conversations, interviews, and surveys collected through my local business work.
Research questions
- ▸What makes small business owners try AI tools?
- ▸What expectations do they have before adoption?
- ▸Why do some tools get abandoned?
- ▸How do owners judge whether AI is worth the cost, time, and training?
- ▸What barriers matter most: cost, complexity, privacy, trust, unclear ROI, staff resistance, or integration?
Variables & themes
- AI tools currently used
- Monthly AI / software spend
- Abandoned tools
- Setup time before usefulness
- Staff training burden
- Main adoption barriers
- Hours saved or lost per week
- Perceived ROI
- Industry, business size, years in operation
- Whether implementation help would increase adoption
Output
Planned public-facing executive summary and research paper.
Status
Data collection in progress. Want to be interviewed? Get in touch.