By Vicky Sidler | Published 29 April 2025 at 9:00 GMT

Every few years, something new comes along, and we are told it is going to “end work as we know it.” In the 80s, it was personal computers. In the 90s, it was the internet. Now, in 2025, it is AI—supposedly coming for our jobs like a very polite, highly efficient Terminator.

Except, not quite.

Ashok Krish, Global Head of AI at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), made it clear this week: AI is not about mass unemployment—it is about skill transformation.

According to Krish, AI is reshaping how we work, not wiping work off the map. Projects will look different. Teams will shrink in some places and grow in others. But for those willing to adapt, AI is more of a new playground than a battlefield.

Small businesses, in particular, have a lot to gain—if they are willing to evolve.

What This Means for Small Businesses

Let us be honest—small business owners are not strangers to wearing multiple hats. Adding “AI navigator” to your job description may sound exhausting, but it is also one of the best opportunities to scale smarter, not harder.

Here’s the real story:

• AI can automate the boring stuff—freeing you up to actually focus on customers

• Skill-building beats tool-chasing—success will go to those who adapt, not necessarily those who buy the fanciest software

• The cost to innovate has never been lower—small businesses can move faster than the big guys if they get their hands dirty early

Ignoring AI now is like refusing to learn email in 1997—technically optional, but only if you enjoy being left behind.

How Small Businesses Can Stay Ahead

As a StoryBrand Certified Guide and a Duct Tape Marketing Consultant, I work with businesses that need clarity—not just technology.

Here’s how I would approach this shift if you want to be ready (without needing a Silicon Valley-sized budget):

1. Focus on Skills, Not Buzzwords

You do not need to know how machine learning models work. You do need to know how AI tools can make your customer service faster or your marketing smarter.

Learn where AI fits into your business processes—then build up the human skills (problem-solving, storytelling, strategy) that AI cannot replace.

2. Start Small, but Start Smart

Pick one area where AI can help today—automating customer emails, generating ad ideas, streamlining admin—and try it.

Avoid trying to “AI everything” all at once. Lean marketing teaches us to test small, learn fast, and double down where it works.

3. Humanize What Cannot Be Automated

The businesses that will thrive are the ones that use AI for efficiency, but double down on human connection.

Automate the scheduling. Personalize the thank-you notes. That is how you stay memorable when everyone else sounds like a chatbot.

Why This Is a Shift You Want to Embrace

Krish put it well: this is a cultural shift, not just a technical one. Businesses that adapt their workflows, their teams, and their mindsets will win. Those who try to outwait the change—not so much.

Here is the good news: small businesses are naturally built for flexibility.

Unlike giant corporations with endless committees and legacy systems, you can test, pivot, and grow faster than most of the competition—if you start now.