What AI agents are actually good for in a small business

By Jason Sibley

What this is for, and who it's for

You've probably seen the claims about AI agents that will "run your business while you sleep". I'm sceptical of most of it. There is a smaller, more sensible version, though, and a few jobs where it can save you real time now.

This guide is for owners and managers of small UK and Irish businesses. You may already use ChatGPT or Gmail but haven't tried anything "agentic". You want to know where to start without making a mess. There's no coding involved, and I'll explain any jargon as it comes up.

Agent or chatbot? The plain-English difference

A chatbot answers you. You ask a question, it replies, and whatever happens next is down to you. You copy the text, paste it somewhere and press send.

An agent takes steps. It uses tools on your behalf, such as browsing websites or opening apps, and carries on to the next step without being prompted each time. Ask it to find suppliers and fill in a sheet, and it goes off, searches