• Intuit unveils five new AI agents to help SMBs grow
• Report finds “daily grind” tasks are holding many back
• New tools should help unlock productivity for SMBs

Intuit has announced a host of new AI tools and services for small businesses looking to take their next big leap forward.

The accountancy software giant revealed five new AI agents on its Intuit platform, which it says will be able to transform how SMBs work and operate, offering them the chance to prosper and grow.

Available now as an all-in-one platform, the agents will cover everything from bookkeeping to customer leads to financial summaries and project management, automating time-consuming tasks and boosting productivity and collaboration across the board.

AI to the rescue

“This is very much the start, not the end – allowing trusted experts like accountants and bookkeepers combined in one place to help small and mid-sized companies run and grow their business, and ultimately solve more of the critical jobs they need to do to run their company, all in one place,” Ciaran Quilty, SVP, International, Intuit said at a launch event attended by TechRadar Pro.

The launch comes after Intuit revealed new research which found many SMBs say they are being held back by fragmented systems or siloed services, leading to major operational inefficiencies.

Surveying 3,600 SMB leaders across the UK, Australia and Canada, the study found these businesses could see up to 58% more revenue growth by closing what it calls the “Growth Gap” on unrealised potential – equivalent to at least £121,272 in annual revenue for smaller firms, and as much as £416,000 for mid-sized firms.

Daily operations are causing much of these inefficiencies, with the study finding nearly 40% of UK leaders are nearly always involved in daily operations, and just 5% said they felt confident delegating major decisions, with bosses also losing nearly a full working day each week switching between seven to nine digital systems to keep their business running.

The company believes AI can help unlock this business potential, as 80% of SMB leaders say AI can help them delegate more effectively while maintaining control, and 40% saying they already save 5-8 hours per week through automation.

“Even though businesses are missing out on growth opportunities, the extent of their AI use makes a clear difference,” Quilty added.

“Ambition is abundant, but the path to execution remains obstructed by everyday complexity. The challenge isn’t ambition itself, but the systems required to turn it into progress. When routine work is automated, time and visibility returns – giving leaders the insights they need, and the confidence to act with conviction.”

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Mike Moore is Deputy Editor at TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a B2B and B2C tech journalist for nearly a decade, including at one of the UK’s leading national newspapers and fellow Future title ITProPortal, and when he’s not keeping track of all the latest enterprise and workplace trends, can most likely be found watching, following or taking part in some kind of sport.