New York, NY / Syndication Cloud / July 1, 2025 / Better Online Info
On sites like Reddit, one oft-posted meme is about the sheer number of once-in-a-lifetime events Millennials have gone through in the span of a decade, maybe not even. Well, here’s another one.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution, also known as the Intelligence Revolution, is no longer a forecast. It’s here, and it’s unfolding rapidly, powered by wave after wave of breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, automation, and machine learning.
And while large enterprises have been racing ahead with AI pilots and scaled deployments, many small businesses remain hesitant, uncertain of where to begin or whether the technology even applies to them.
But time is not on their side.
“This moment in history is unprecedented,” says Scott Hall, a tech entrepreneur and author who’s been issuing out warnings to small businesses since ChatGPT was first made public. “We’re still early in the AI curve, but the window for small businesses to adopt these tools while they still provide a competitive edge is closing fast.”
A Critical Window
For small businesses, the next five years represent a critical window, not just to experiment with AI, but to figure out a way to use it to one’s advantage before it becomes just a regular fixture in business like Word or Excel.
For business owners, early adoption of AI should be your priority in the next five years. Small businesses have a short-lived opportunity to extract value from AI before it becomes so normalized that the competitive advantage disappears.
Larger companies are already rapidly integrating AI into core functions like customer support, logistics, and marketing. Without doing the same, smaller players risk being left behind, not because they can’t compete, but because they failed or refused to evolve.
Wholesale transformation cannot be done overnight, but can and should be done gradually. As such, business owners need to identify which functions–inventory management, client communications, or lead generation, for example–can benefit most from AI and start from there.
A Moment of Risk And Opportunity
While the disruptive power of AI can be daunting, it also represents a profound opportunity for those willing to embrace change. AI is going to reshape the traditional knowledge worker model, which is frightening for some. But for others, especially nimble small businesses, it’s a chance to leap ahead of slower-moving competitors.
Business owners are reminded to not waste the next five years, as they offer a rare window to experiment, learn, and adapt while the cost of doing so is still relatively low and the potential upside remains high.
“Those that take action now may not only survive the coming transformation; they may even thrive in it,” Hall says.
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