Possibl AI co-founder Nyssa Waters says many New Zealand small businesses are closer to using artificial intelligence than they realise.

The issue, she says, is not always access to technology. In many cases, SMEs are already paying for tools that include AI features, but those features are not being used properly.

Platforms such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Xero, HubSpot and Canva now include AI functions that can help with everyday tasks. But for busy business owners, simply having the tools is not the same as knowing how to use them well.

Waters says the biggest opportunity is practical implementation. Rather than chasing complicated technology projects, small businesses should start with clear operational problems.

That might mean using AI to answer common customer questions, help with booking enquiries, follow up invoices, process documents, summarise notes, or turn messy information into something usable.

Possibl AI has been selected as a service provider through the Regional Business Partner Network as part of the Government's AI Advisory Pilot. The programme is designed to help SMEs move from curiosity to practical use.

For many businesses, the return may come from small time savings repeated every day. A task that takes 20 minutes might take five. A manual process that creates mistakes might become more consistent.

The message for small business owners is simple: AI does not need to start with a massive software build. It can start with one annoying admin job that gets done faster.