42% of Australian Small Businesses Are Using AI — And They’re Growing 2.8x Faster

Three new research reports released today paint a clear picture of where Australian small business stands with AI in 2026. The data comes from NAB, MYOB, and Indeed: and the gap between businesses using AI and those that aren’t is getting harder to ignore.

42% of Australian SMEs are using AI: but sectors vary wildly

A NAB survey of small and medium-sized businesses found 42% are currently using AI, 44% are not, and 14% plan to start. That’s a roughly even split: but the sector breakdown tells a different story.

Almost 70% of property service businesses are using AI, along with 64% of finance and insurance firms and 61% of business services. At the other end, just 21% of transport businesses are using AI, and 58% of transport operators said they had no plans to adopt it.

NAB group executive for business and private banking Andrew Auerbach noted that data-heavy industries were early movers: but flagged hospitality as the sector with the highest proportion planning to introduce AI, with almost two in five SMEs there looking to start.

“I’ve got no doubt that we’re going to see a meaningful uptick in how SMEs invest and use AI,” Auerbach said.

Businesses using AI are growing 2.8 times faster

MYOB’s research is the number that will get attention in boardrooms. Firms using AI products are growing 2.8 times faster than those that don’t. Of businesses using AI, 54% reported saving time and 34% reported increased productivity.

Despite that, 46% of small and medium-sized firms are not planning to roll out AI in the coming year.

MYOB CEO Paul Robson called it a widening gulf: “AI is the most powerful productivity lever the SME economy has experienced in years, already delivering measurable gains in efficiency, growth and revenue. Those adopting early are pulling ahead, and even modest uptake could unlock billions in additional revenue for the economy.”

AI skills are showing up in job ads

Indeed’s data shows the labour market is adjusting. This year, 8.5% of job postings on Indeed mention AI: up from 5.8% in early 2025. The jump is sharpest in data and IT, but AI skills are also being asked for in marketing (17.1% of ads), sales (13.2%), and arts and entertainment (11.2%).

Indeed Asia-Pacific economist Callam Pickering said AI adoption is accelerating, but its impact on the jobs market remains limited for now: though workers have mixed views on what it means for their roles.

What this means for Australian small business owners

The 2.8x growth figure from MYOB is the one worth sitting with. It doesn’t mean AI is magic: it means the businesses doing the work of figuring out how to use it are pulling ahead of the ones that aren’t. The gap compounds over time.

The sector data from NAB is also useful context. If you’re in property, finance, or business services and not using AI yet, you’re now in the minority in your own industry. If you’re in transport or construction, there’s more runway: but also less competitive urgency in the short term.

The jobs data is a slower-moving signal, but a real one. AI skills are shifting from “nice to have” to something employers across multiple industries are starting to specify. That matters for hiring, training, and how you position your business to clients.

For practical next steps based on your industry:

• AI for Australian cafés in 2026
• AI for Australian real estate agents in 2026
• AI for lawyers and legal professionals in Australia
• AI for Australian freelancers
• AI tools for Australian sole traders

Sources

• NAB SME survey, as reported by The Age, 19 April 2026, theage.com.au
• MYOB SME research, as reported by The Age, 19 April 2026, theage.com.au
• Indeed Asia-Pacific jobs data, as reported by The Age, 19 April 2026, theage.com.au

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