In The Rush To Scale AI, Are We Listening To Entrepreneurs?
Photo shows the letters AI for Artificial Intelligence on a laptop screen AFP via Getty Images
Artificial intelligence is reshaping our economy at a remarkable pace—optimizing operations, transforming industries, and opening new frontiers for innovation. As policymakers and business leaders explore how to integrate AI across sectors, one vital question deserves more attention: How do we ensure small business support evolves with empathy, not just efficiency?
When Access Doesn't Equal Impact
For the millions of small and entrepreneurs driving local economies across the country, success rarely comes down to a single metric or model. Entrepreneurs—especially those navigating structural barriers—often require not just tools, but trust. Over the past five years, digital coaching platforms and AI-powered business assessments have become more common. But many have struggled to maintain deep, lasting engagement with users.
Research from the Kauffman Foundation highlights the challenge. Entrepreneurs frequently disengage from support tools that don't reflect their lived realities or build meaningful connections. Accessibility, it turns out, doesn't automatically lead to impact.
Why This Moment Matters
This conversation is especially timely as the federal government proposes significant shifts in how entrepreneurial support is funded. The FY2026 budget recommends eliminating $167 million in technical assistance programs at the U.S. Small Business Administration, including the Women's Business Centers, SCORE. These programs have long delivered personalized, human-centered support—something no algorithm can fully replace.
Still, the answer isn't to reject AI. It's to ensure that digital innovation works in tandem with human insight.
A Case for Human-Centered Design
One promising approach is emerging from a recent study by the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO ). AEO's Business Health Assessment (BHA), piloted in 2024, used both traditional metrics (like cash flow) and personal indicators (like entrepreneurial mindset and stress levels) to create a more holistic and actionable picture of business health. When paired with coaching, the BHA became more than a diagnostic—it became a bridge to deeper, more effective support.
The Future of AI in Small Business and Entrepreneurial Support
The lesson is clear: technology can enhance, not replace, the human element. AI offers enormous potential to personalize, prioritize, and scale support. But its impact depends on how thoughtfully it's designed and deployed—especially for entrepreneurs who don't have the time or resources to navigate systems that weren't built with them in mind.
As AI continues to influence the future of small business support, the path forward lies in balance. We need tools that are intelligent and intuitive—but also flexible and empathetic. We need funding that embraces innovation—while preserving the relationships that help entrepreneurs thrive. And above all, we need to design systems that recognize entrepreneurship as both a data-driven endeavor and a deeply human one.
AI is not the enemy of small business. But it must be shaped by the voices of those it aims to serve. Because behind every business model is a human story—and behind every algorithmic insight, there should be a listening ear.
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