It builds on the programme of my AI training for companies, adapted for small teams where everyone wears several hats.
Why a small business cannot afford to wait
In a small or micro business, there is often no IT department and no innovation lead to steer how AI enters the team: everyone uses it their own way, or not at all. BCG's AI at Work 2025 survey of more than 10,600 employees in 11 countries shows that leadership support changes everything: the share of employees who feel positive about AI rises from 15% to 55% when that support is strong. In a small team, that role usually falls to the owner or manager.
The 2025 experiment run by the UK government with Microsoft 365 Copilot measured an average saving of 26 minutes per day per person, around 13 working days a year. In a team of five, that accumulated saving represents significant time, with no need to hire anyone extra.
What AI changes for a small team
| Task | What AI does | Reference figure |
|---|---|---|
| Writing quotes, e-mails, content | Fast first draft, rewording, proofreading | 40% less writing time (Science, 2023) |
| Researching and summarising information | Summary of a document or topic in minutes | 29% faster on search and summarising (Microsoft, 2023) |
| Handling day-to-day admin | E-mails, minutes, organising tasks | 26 minutes saved per day per person (UK government, 2025) |
| Replying to customers | First draft reply, adjusted tone | No specific measure for small businesses; see the QJE 2025 study on customer service |
In a small team, these gains add up fast: the same person drafts, replies to customers and handles admin. AI helps with each of these tasks, but the final check stays human.
The 4 priorities for a small business
Choose a single tool for the whole team. A shared subscription avoids scattered personal accounts and unchecked usage.
Train everyone at the same time. In a small business there is no isolated pilot user: training together avoids uneven practice.
Set one simple rule on data. A single sentence is enough: "never enter customer data or banking data into a general-purpose AI tool".
Measure on one concrete task. Pick a repetitive task and compare the time spent before and after the training.
These priorities fit easily into a short AI usage policy, even in a business of just a few people. They also answer Article 4 of the EU AI Act, which applies to small businesses just as it does to large ones, as explained in the guide Is AI training mandatory?.
The programme, from a small team's point of view
| Module | What you take away |
|---|---|
| 1. Understanding generative AI | Knowing what to hand over to AI with no dedicated IT department |
| 2. Talking to an AI | Getting a usable answer first time |
| 3. Productivity | Drafting, summarising and organising in minutes |
| 4. Use cases by function | Adapting AI to each role in the team, even combined ones |
| 5. Risks and good practice | One simple, clear rule on data that must never be entered |
| 6. Workshop | Working through a real company matter from start to finish |
Format and price
The training is delivered in-house, for the whole team together, including the owner or manager. Two durations are available: a half day from €590 excl. VAT, or a 7-hour day from €990 excl. VAT. It takes place online, or on-site at your offices on request. See the pricing page.
To go further by role, see also AI training for executives and managers and AI training for customer service.