For small and midsized businesses (SMBs) in Columbus and across Ohio, growth often comes down to doing more with less. Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming the lever that makes that possible—not just for Silicon Valley giants, but for manufacturers, healthcare practices, law firms, real estate offices, and retailers right here in Ohio.
A recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce report found that 58% of small businesses are already using generative AI, and more than three-quarters say limiting AI would hurt their growth. That’s because today’s AI tools aren’t abstract—they’re practical, affordable, and helping SMBs scale smarter with fewer resources.
Here are five real-world ways SMBs are putting AI to work—and how local businesses in Ohio are already leading the charge.
Repetitive admin eats up valuable time: scheduling, intake, emails, transcription. AI can automate these tasks, freeing staff to focus on high-value work.
OhioHealth (Columbus) is piloting Nuance’s DAX Copilot to automatically generate clinical notes during patient visits, reducing after-hours paperwork for doctors and giving them more time with patients (Axios).
Local manufacturers are experimenting with AI-driven robotic process automation to track inventory and streamline order fulfillment—critical for an industry where downtime costs thousands per hour.
For SMBs, automation isn’t about cutting jobs. It’s about helping lean teams do more without burning out.
Customers expect personalization. With AI, SMBs can now deliver it at scale.
Howard Hanna Real Estate (Northeast Ohio) is using AI-powered natural language search, letting homebuyers type requests like “3-bedroom with fenced yard in Brecksville” instead of scrolling endless checklists. That creates a smoother customer experience and faster sales cycles (News5 Cleveland).
Professional services firms in Ohio are adopting AI chatbots to triage client questions, offer faster initial responses, and free up staff for complex, billable work.
The result is enterprise-level service—on a small business budget.
Marketing used to rely on gut instinct and broad targeting. AI makes it data-driven.
SMBs across Ohio are using AI to analyze customer behavior, segment audiences more precisely, and optimize ad spend. Instead of wasting dollars on low-ROI campaigns, businesses get better conversions for less.
In real estate, AI tools are helping brokerages track market trends, predict buyer interest, and target ads more effectively at the neighborhood level.
Nearly 64% of SMBs using AI leverage it for marketing and sales functions, according to Business.com’s 2025 SMB study.
AI enables leaders to move beyond gut instinct by providing real-time insights.
The Cleveland Clinic uses AI in its Virtual Command Center (Hospital 360, Staffing Matrix) to predict patient volumes, optimize staffing, and streamline scheduling. The result: a 75% reduction in bed-capacity calculation time and shorter ER wait times (Cleveland Clinic).
For manufacturers across Ohio, AI-powered predictive maintenance tools help flag machine issues before they shut down production—protecting uptime and reducing costs.
These are lessons SMBs in any industry can apply: use data to anticipate problems before they become costly crises.
Perhaps the most powerful application of AI is uncovering hidden opportunities.
MetroHealth & Case Western Reserve (Cleveland) are using AI to predict which patients are likely to miss appointments, then proactively engage them. That improves outcomes and reduces wasted scheduling resources (Case.edu).
In retail, AI demand forecasting highlights trending product categories early, giving small businesses the chance to expand into new lines before competitors.
Law firms and accounting practices in Columbus are already experimenting with AI to identify growth areas like AI compliance consulting—an emerging demand among clients.
The U.S. Chamber report found that 82% of SMBs using AI expanded their workforce in the past year, showing that AI adoption often fuels—not replaces—growth.
AI is not about replacing people. It’s about giving your team leverage: doing more, more effectively, with fewer resources. But the key is adopting AI strategically—with an eye on security, compliance, and ROI.
That’s where Randy Hall’s new book, Mastering AI For Business Success, comes in. Written for SMB leaders—not data scientists—it translates the hype into practical strategies you can implement right now.
Best of all: qualified SMB decision-makers can request a complimentary physical copy, shipped directly to your office.
Inside, you’ll find:
Real Ohio and national case studies of SMB AI adoption.
A roadmap for choosing tools that fit your size and sector.
Guidance for balancing innovation with cybersecurity and compliance.
Request your free copy today and see how AI can become a competitive advantage for your business.