DENVER, March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pax8, the leading cloud commerce Marketplace, today announced the results of its inaugural Pax8 Pulse, a quarterly survey tracking technology adoption trends among U.S. small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). According to the survey, a significant disconnect is emerging: operational leaders see AI's urgency far more clearly than the business owners setting strategic direction. At the same time, SMBs are racing to adopt AI at a pace that outstrips their ability to govern it.
“Small businesses are at a critical inflection point,” said Nick Heddy, President and Chief Commerce Officer at Pax8. “AI adoption is accelerating rapidly, but many SMBs are implementing tools without the governance frameworks, integration strategies, or internal alignment needed to maximize value and minimize risk. The businesses that will succeed aren't necessarily the fastest adopters - they're the ones building strategy alongside capability.”
A Leadership Disconnect Is Widening
One of the most consequential findings reveals a 14-point gap between how operational leaders and business owners view AI's urgency. Functional leaders – operations managers, department heads, and others responsible for the daily execution – are far more likely to feel AI’s urgency than the owners setting strategic direction:
- 70% of functional leaders, believe AI will be essential to competitiveness within three years, however;
- Only 56% of owners and founders share this belief
- 73% of functional leaders say their business must act on AI within the next six months
- 69% of operational leaders report AI investments are already delivering measurable results
This disconnect creates real operational risks: fragmented tool deployments, integration failures, and a widening gap between what the business can do and what leadership understands.
SMBs See AI as Competitive Necessity
The research reveals strong conviction that AI will be essential for competitiveness:
- 62% of SMB leaders say that without AI, their business will not remain competitive within three years
- 74% believe AI gives SMBs the ability to compete with larger companies
- 67% expect their AI use to increase over the next 12 months
Yet speed and safety are increasingly in tension. 22% of SMBs cite security or privacy concerns as their single biggest barrier to AI adoption - a friction point that is driving many toward outside partners who can help them move safely.
SMBs Are Spending with Conviction
Nearly half (48.5%) of SMBs increased technology spending over the past year, with another 48.5% maintaining current investment levels. This is in an economic environment where discretionary spending is under pressure across the board - only 2.5% decreased spending. Additionally, 73% of SMB leaders express confidence in their company's ability to grow over the next 12 months.
The Demand for Trusted Managed Intelligence Providers
The survey reveals significant demand for outside guidance as SMBs navigate AI adoption:
- 84% say they would trust an outside technology advisor to help their business implement AI
- 70% agree that small businesses need outside technology partners to fully benefit from AI
- 94% are confident they could find trustworthy external support to help implement new technology
"The opportunity for MSPs to evolve into Managed Intelligence Providers has never been more clear," added Heddy. "SMBs aren't just looking for products - they're looking for partners who can help them build AI strategies, curate and orchestrate intelligent systems, and implement with confidence. The MSPs that recognize this shift and position themselves as strategic advisors rather than IT support will be the ones who thrive. Trust is the product, and the channel is uniquely positioned to deliver it."
To view the full Pax8 Pulse survey report, visit: Pax8 Pulse SMB Technology Report, March 2026
Methodology
The Pax8 Pulse is a quarterly survey tracking technology adoption, investment, and sentiment among U.S. small business leaders. The March 2026 survey was conducted by Propeller Insights on behalf of Pax8 and fielded to 400 U.S. small business leaders involved in technology decisions within companies employing 5–499 employees across a range of industries and geographic regions. The margin of error at 95% confidence is ±4.9 percentage points for the total sample.
To learn more about Pax8, visit www.pax8.com.
About Pax8
Pax8 is the cloud commerce Marketplace of the future, linking partners, vendors, and small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) through AI-powered insights and comprehensive product support. With a global partner ecosystem of over 47,000 managed service providers, Pax8 empowers SMBs worldwide by providing software and services that unlock their growth potential and enhance their security. Committed to innovating cloud commerce at scale, Pax8 drives customer acquisition and solution consumption across its entire ecosystem.
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Media Contact:
David Stephan
PR Manager
dstephan@pax8.com
