Is Gen AI a Bust for Business?

If you hear the sound of corporate fire alarms that's because there's a new report out from MIT that says 95% of businesses that have deployed generative AI tools are not seeing a P&L impact.

On one hand, generative AI has been hailed as the disruptor of our time that will revolutionize how we work, who does the work, and how quickly we can enjoy the benefits. But this report shares the data on early adopting companies and the lack of measurable results on their P&L statement.

Why?

• A lack of contextual learning: You're not crazy. AI doesn't remember what you've said and isn't getting much smarter as we work with it.

• Brittle workflows: We may do things slightly different than your AI tool does, and it doesn't work inside the way we work.

• Misalignment with day-to-day operations: You have specific needs, and sometimes the tools won’t fit seamlessly to solve problems. As a result, you might be duct taping together a few processes to get something done.

But, there’s hope for solopreneurs and small business owners like us. Inside the report, it shares an emerging “Shadow AI Economy” where the EMPLOYEES of these larger companies are regularly using Gen AI to improve their daily work: “Almost every single person used an LLM in some form for their work.”

I'm still bullish on AI because increasing our personal productivity is directly correlated with more time to produce and sell our products. Remember, you’re not an employee. You’re an entire company rolled up into one person. We are looking to digest information quicker, deploy content faster, or understand the challenges and opportunities in front of us in less time. Every moment you can free up is another moment to generate value in the form of either time or money.

And, I’ve had great success (Borat reference) with narrow AI-powered tools for specific work. (Blatant plug for ENJI this now drives my social media content distribution.)

Let's use the last moment of this newsletter for good. Do you have a Gen AI success story? Perhaps you’re doing something we could all learn from? I'd love to hear your feedback. I’ll include some of your answers in next Tuesday’s Small Business Summary Newsletter.

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Newsletter Networking
Free Plugs for Small Business Summary Readers

We are creeping closer to 2,000 readers. To celebrate, I want to introduce you to some of the super-cool Small Business owners that are already reading the newsletter.

Last week, I invited you to hit REPLY and tell me about your business. The first five that did so were going to get a free plug. Here are the folks that had the courage to do so:

• Julie Hoover | Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services |
  Greater Indianapolis and Greenfield, IN | https://officepride.com/indianapolis-greenfield/
  My business provides quality routine janitorial and floor care services to commercial businesses in a consistent method. My goal is to keep the reputation of the janitorial industry at a high level through professional offerings.
  

• Jenn Fredericks | Prosilience Coach | Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  prosiliencecoach.com
  I partner with health systems, nonprofits, and foundations to support their family caregiver communities through proven pause strategies that reduce burnout and improve patient outcomes. With 30+ years as a chronic illness patient and 10+ years as a family caregiver, I help organizations provide the authentic, experience-based support that transforms how families navigate caregiving challenges.

• Kevin Bracy | Fitness Machine Technicians
  Metropolitan areas of western Cleveland, Akron, Youngstown, Canton, Columbus, Dayton, and greater Cincinnati, Ohio!
  www.fitnessmachinetechnicians.com
  We provide maintenance and repair services to all types and manufacturers of fitness equipment. Whether you work out at home, in the local gym, at the office, or in the hotel, we maintain and repair the equipment that enables you to achieve your fitness goals.  We keep you up and running!  
  

• Megan Kuiper | MK-Life on Purpose; Speaker, Consultant, Energy Enthusiast
  Pleasant Prairie, WI | www.megan-kuiper.com
  I’m a speaker, consultant, and energy-giver who helps leaders and teams grow their energy, build thriving cultures, and start dreaming again. Whether through a keynote, workshop, or consulting partnership, I bring practical strategies and contagious energy that spark lasting change.

• Paul Warloski | Simple Endurance Coaching | Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  https://simpleendurancecoaching.com/
  We support everyday cyclists, runners, and triathletes who want to reach their bucket list adventure goals. We create training plans with strength training, yoga, and nutrition advice for people who want to improve their health and fitness.  

Bonus points to YOU if you reach out and connect with these folks on LinkedIn!

If you'd like a free plug in next week's newsletter (I’ll include five more), reply to this email with:

• Your name and Business Name

• Where you’re located

• Company Website

• Two sentences about what do you and who you serve

Tweet of the Week

Excitement is starting to build for our time with author Sahil Bloom at #SBOC25. For the past few months, when someone bought their ticket we shipped Sahil’s book “The Five Types of Wealth,” to the guest. Now, I’m starting to get emails and messages sharing how the book is helping people see a bigger picture and underline the MEANING of all of this effort we’re dumping into our business. At the conference, I’ll interview Sahil - AND - we’ll hold space for SBOC members to ask questions and talk with him, too. It’s going to be awesome!

#SBOC25 - Building the Conference

TICKET SALES END 9/5
BUILD YOUR RECORD YEAR AT #SBOC25
Presented by Horicon Bank
September 16-19, 2025
Brookfield, WI

See the full lineup and get your ticket here: https://event.smallbusinesscommunity.com/25conference

A HUGE thank you to our major sponsors: Horicon Bank, Money Masters, Athena Legal Solutions, Magnolia Tax, and Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative

Last bit: We’ve got three (3) days until Labor Day weekend sets in…do whatever you can to make the most of this week so you can sit back, relax, and take a breath before next Tuesday when everyone “comes back to work” after the Summer break. I’m telling you, next Tuesday is the starter’s pistol for Q4…let’s make this week COUNT.

NOW GO SELL SOMETHING!

Pat

The Small Business Summary is sponsored by Enji . Enji is the confidence-boosting system solopreneurs and small business owners need to finally take control of their marketing. Create your marketing plan, do the plan, and track your results all within Enji.