The short version
- 69% of Australian small business owners now use AI regularly, up from 40% in mid-2024.
- 19% say AI led them to add staff. 6% say they cut.
- Privacy and security remain the top concern.
AI is making more Australian small businesses hire than fire, according to a QuickBooks survey of 3,790 owners and operators.
Nineteen per cent said they had increased headcount because of AI, compared with 6 per cent who reported a decrease.[1]
Regular use has jumped to 69 per cent, up from 40 per cent in July 2024, and daily use rose from 9 to 28 per cent.[1] Of those using AI, 79 per cent reported productivity gains and 43 per cent reported higher revenue.[1]
Twenty-eight per cent said their workdays were now shorter. Fourteen per cent said they were longer.[1]
Concerns remain. Privacy and security topped the list of barriers at 39 per cent, followed by lack of knowledge at 31 per cent.[1]
The survey is commissioned by an accounting software company with an interest in AI uptake, so its numbers are worth reading alongside government data. But the direction matches the National AI Centre's tracker: more businesses using AI, more confidently.
Sources
Sources checked 7 November 2026. Product features and prices change often, so check the vendor's site before you buy.