Which countries had the highest GenAI adoption among small businesses?

Peru, Australia and Canada were highest at about 6 percent in 2025, followed by Japan at 5 percent.

How does AI adoption relate to business spending?

Firms in the highest spending decile are roughly three times more likely to subscribe to generative AI services than firms in the lowest spending decile, and adopters increase card spending faster than non-adopters.

What productivity gain is linked to AI adoption?

A Statistics Canada study found firms incorporating AI into business processes were up to 17 percent more productive than non-adopters.

Top Companies' AI MovesAI Business & IndustryTop Companies AI12m agoOct 29, 2026, 06:30 JST

Visa: GenAI adoption by small businesses rose in all 12 countries tracked

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3 Key Points

What happened
Visa Business and Economic Insights, analyzing VisaNet data, found the share of SMB credit cards subscribed to GenAI services rose in every one of 12 countries from 2024 to 2025, with Peru, Australia and Canada highest at about 6 percent.
Why it matters
The broad-based rise across all 12 countries suggests GenAI is becoming a mainstream tool for small businesses, not just a niche experiment, which could shift how financial institutions assess and serve these firms.

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Context & Analysis

The Visa report frames generative AI as the latest general-purpose technology following electricity and semiconductors, with adoption among small businesses accelerating. It highlights millennials, now in their 30s and 40s, as likely drivers of a new entrepreneurship wave, citing that the average founder age of the fastest-growing U.S. ventures is around 45. VisaNet data show new business formation rising across nearly every major sector since 2022, with information and entertainment leading. The report also notes that AI adopters exhibit stronger spending momentum and digital engagement, and suggests financial institutions may need to shift from collateral-based underwriting to data-driven models using payments activity as a signal. While the data cannot prove causation, the consistent growth gap across firm sizes suggests AI may be helping create successful businesses, not just attracting them.

FAQ

Which countries had the highest GenAI adoption among small businesses?: Peru, Australia and Canada were highest at about 6 percent in 2025, followed by Japan at 5 percent.
How does AI adoption relate to business spending?: Firms in the highest spending decile are roughly three times more likely to subscribe to generative AI services than firms in the lowest spending decile, and adopters increase card spending faster than non-adopters.
What productivity gain is linked to AI adoption?: A Statistics Canada study found firms incorporating AI into business processes were up to 17 percent more productive than non-adopters.

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