AI gives small businesses a competitive boost — and a trust problem

Artificial intelligence began as a way for Audra Nasser to write social-media captions, but it soon became a sounding board for nearly every part of running her small business.

Nasser, founder of the Tampa-area prepared-meal company Dinner Done, said AI can give smaller companies access to some of the resources available to much larger competitors. She was among panelists who spoke at the Build American AI panel discussion in Tampa on Thursday.

The forum was moderated by Florida Politics publisher Peter Schorsch, and hosted by the Bake More Pies marketing agency.

Nasser owns a family-run company that employs about 15 people, but does not have separate legal, human resources, marketing or strategic planning departments. Nasser explained that artificial intelligence has made access to sound information related to those matters more accessible.

She initially used ChatGPT for basic social content and planning. As the system learned more about her voice and company, however, she began to understand its greater potential to help improve the business, and fill gaps on her small team.

“All of a sudden, I felt like I had expert advice at my fingertips at 2 o’clock in the morning, at 3 o’clock in the morning — whenever I needed it,” Nasser said. “It remembers our conversations. I think it’s really a game changer, especially for small businesses.”

Julio Fuentes, President and CEO of the Florida Hispanic Chamber, said those capabilities can help level the playing field.

He argued AI can allow a company with only a few employees to perform some of the administrative, research and communications work handled by much larger back-office teams. That can help a two- or three-person operation compete with companies employing dozens of people to perform similar work.

“When I look at AI and this topic, I look at that small business in Hialeah, that two- to three-man shop, or that five- to six-man small business here in Tampa, that’s really a game changer for leveling the playing field. These companies now can go up against a company that has 40 or 50 employees in the back doing similar work.”

Cordes Owen, founder and CEO of the Bake More Pies marketing agency, said businesses should be deliberate about where they deploy the technology.

Owen said companies should consider whether they have the data necessary for an AI system to understand the business, how much human judgment a task requires, its potential economic benefit and how quickly the technology could be implemented.

“If it’s a high-volume, repetitive task that’s low cognitive with very few edge cases, that’s a very good candidate for AI. If it’s a high-interpersonal type of thing that requires empathy and listening and very complex background, that’s a human thing,” he said.

Nasser said that distinction has become especially important in her business. As she adopted AI use, she said an intern studying advertising and public relations approached her for a candid conversation about her concerns over AI use. 

She explained the intern felt threatened by the technology and warned that many of her peers immediately reject a business when they believe it uses artificial intelligence.

Nasser said she listened, and the company has established red lines around AI-generated images and videos. It may reconsider that position as consumer attitudes change, but she does not currently believe the potential savings are worth risking customer trust.

She said businesses should listen to those concerns because they reflect the pulse of the community.

“I think it’s really important to listen to people’s fears and understand where they’re coming from,” Nasser said. 

Owen said that in a digital world filled with deepfakes, automated messages and other AI-generated material, his company has emphasized face to face meetings with clients, sharing meals and maintaining personal relationships rather than allowing technology to replace those interactions.

As information and content become easier to generate, he said, human connections will become increasingly important.

“We’re entering a time where you have a lot more questions about what you trust,” Owen said.