The Reality of AI’s Impact on Small Businesses: New Evidence from Gusto Payroll Data

The latest data on small-business hiring from Gusto shows that AI isn’t the “jobs apocalypse” for small companies that some have feared. Our evidence suggests that small businesses with more AI-exposed workforces are seeing revenue and hiring gains – not the dramatic job losses that some have predicted. There’s a learning curve, but early evidence points toward growth, not decline.In this episode, we explore a major new study from Gusto's Insights Group, "The Reality of AI’s Impact on Small Businesses: New Evidence from Gusto Payroll Data." Full study is here: https://gusto.com/resources/gusto-insights/ai-impact-on-smbs-2026