You just attended an exciting AI training workshop . You’re enthusiastic, your team is buzzing, and you’re already applying AI-generated ideas into your next project. Fast-forward 30 days: the buzz is gone. The new tools sit unused, AI-focused meetings get pushed aside for “real work,” and your management wonders what tangible benefits the training delivered. Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

Using AI isn’t new (Grammarly, anyone?), but now that it’s at our fingertips, there’s certainly a lot more chatter about it – and so much more potential. Yet many people are simply going through the motions. How about you? Are you using AI as a tool or as a crutch? This isn’t just a semantic debate – it’s a decision

A recent survey released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce revealed that roughly 40-65% of U.S. small businesses were using some form of AI by late 2024 into early 2025. Now, this number is going to change region-by-region, but’s definitely going up. As I go around the country working with chambers, I’m seeing a number that’s probably on the lower