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Australian small and medium businesses using artificial intelligence are growing 2.8 times faster than those that are not, according to new analysis from accounting software provider MYOB, which warns of a "widening AI divide" across the SME economy.
MYOB's modelling, drawn from aggregated data across hundreds of thousands of SMEs on its platform, found that 40 per cent of small and medium businesses are currently adopting AI in some form.
Yet 46 per cent say they have no plans to adopt the technology in the next 12 months, pointing to a sharp split between early movers and businesses yet to engage.
The data release comes two months after MYOB and Microsoft announced a five-year strategic partnership to jointly fund, build and scale AI-powered tools for Australia and New Zealand's 3.28 million SMEs.
Under the deal, Microsoft is providing dedicated engineering support while MYOB has established an internal AI Academy to upskill its workforce.
MYOB CEO Paul Robson says AI represents a generational opportunity for the sector but cautions that the benefits are not flowing evenly.
“AI is the most powerful productivity lever the SME economy has experienced in years, already delivering measurable gains in efficiency, growth and revenue,” says Robson.
“Those adopting early are pulling ahead, and even modest uptake could unlock billions in additional revenue for the economy.
Robson has flagged growing concern about a divide between businesses embracing the technology and those falling behind, warning that without intervention the gap risked becoming entrenched.
The findings align with the Australian Government's National AI Plan, which identifies a regional–metropolitan adoption divide as a key challenge.
Government data shows AI uptake among regional SMEs sits at 29 per cent compared with 40 per cent in metropolitan areas.
The plan also notes that around 40 per cent of First Nations people and one in five Australians broadly remain digitally excluded.
The federal government has committed $17 million to an AI Adopt Program designed to help small businesses access and implement AI tools, with a particular focus on bridging the regional gap.
MYOB's partnership with Microsoft is pitched as a private-sector complement to those government efforts.
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