Meta survey finds most Asia-Pacific small firms use AI

Meta has published research on artificial intelligence use among small business owners in Asia-Pacific, finding that most respondents already use AI.

The YouGov survey covered almost 4,000 small business owners across Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan, India, Thailand, Japan and Hong Kong. It found that 84% of respondents use AI, while 76% said it had a positive effect on productivity and 71% said it had improved revenue or sales over the past 12 months.

The findings point to broad adoption of AI tools among smaller companies across the region, but also to a gap between uptake and confidence. The research found that 86% of owners said small businesses need more guidance to gain the full benefits of AI, while 51% identified the cost of training as the main barrier.

Respondents also linked AI to the pressures that often constrain smaller firms, particularly limited time and resources. Four in five said AI helps small businesses compete more effectively with larger companies, while the same share said it makes starting a business easier. Another 83% said AI enables small businesses to do things that previously required significantly more money or resources.

Among owners who reported a positive effect on productivity, 58% said they used the time saved to improve the quality of their existing work. Half said they redirected that time into growth and business planning, while 46% said it helped them get more done with their current teams.

Practical uses

The survey suggests day-to-day use of AI remains focused on routine business tasks rather than specialist applications. Among owners whose businesses had used AI in the past year, 51% said they had used it to create or edit content, 43% for local advertising and marketing, 38% for translation, and 37% for customer support and communications.

That pattern reflects a practical approach to adoption among smaller firms, many of which are looking for tools that can save time or widen their reach without adding staff. The research also suggests owners want more clarity on costs, potential returns, and how to manage data privacy and security.

Meta cited Husnul Khotimah, Founder of Indonesian modest fashion brand Zayya, as an example of a small business using its training and tools.

"Meta has helped me see what is possible for a small business like Zayya. I used to think AI was mainly for writing captions and creating content, but I've learned that it can also help me understand new markets and reach the right customers. Using tools like Advantage+, we've been able to reach customers beyond Indonesia with a small advertising budget, while giving me more time to grow the business and connect with more women who share the same needs that inspired Zayya in the first place," said Khotimah.

Meta said Khotimah used the Small Business Growth Academy to support an expansion into Malaysia on a daily advertising budget of about USD $1.68.

It said the campaign generated 50 enquiries and reduced customer response times from 30 to 60 minutes to under two minutes. Meta also said Khotimah reported more than eight times return on ad spend from the campaign.

Training push

Meta is using the findings to highlight demand for training and support around AI use among small businesses. Its Small Business Growth Academy, launched across Asia-Pacific, offers training on AI-enabled advertising, Reels, WhatsApp for Business and cross-border commerce through partnerships with governments, chambers of commerce and local programme groups.

The emphasis on training comes as technology companies seek to position AI tools as part of mainstream business operations for smaller firms, not only for large organisations with dedicated digital teams. In this survey, respondents signalled that access to skills and clearer information may now matter as much as the tools themselves.

For small businesses in Asia-Pacific, the figures suggest AI is already part of many owners' everyday operations, especially in marketing, communications, and content work. The more difficult challenge may be whether those businesses can move from basic adoption to more informed use without adding costs they cannot easily absorb.