How growing UK midsize businesses are building in the AI era

The UK’s 5-million-plus small and midsize businesses and enterprises (SMBs) are the backbone of our economy. Today, we’re seeing these critical businesses begin to put AI to work, to operate more efficiently, move faster, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for their customers. This shift is driven by tangible day-to-day results. According to recent research from Enterprise Nation published in partnership with Google, 71% of AI adopters surveyed in the UK say the technology helps them save time on routine tasks, and 64% report a direct boost in productivity . On top of this, AI-enabled productivity tools (like Google Workspace with Gemini) are delivering a 20% boost in productivity for SMBs , which effectively hands them back one full working day every single week. At Google Cloud, we have a front row seat to this shift: SMBs have long utilized platforms like Google Workspace, and today they’re transforming with Google’s AI platform and models. In fact, we’ve seen the number of UK-based SMBs using Google Cloud AI nearly double year-over-year. This includes our Gemini models and products like Gemini Enterprise and AI Studio, which are helping SMBs do things like: Roll out better customer support systems to help escalate and resolve customer support calls more quickly. Automate repetitive actions in areas like payroll and accounting. Help more employees understand and leverage data at work — even those not trained as data analysts. Rapidly create and implement new designs for marketing collateral. Help more people build their own AI agents to help them in their everyday jobs. Conduct complex research projects at a speed and price point previously unavailable. At today’s Google Cloud London Summit , we’re showcasing a number of innovative SMB customers who are actively using our AI tools to transform how they work, including companies who have recently expanded their work with us: Neural Alpha , a sustainability fintech company, is using Gemini models to read unstructured environmental and corporate sustainability reports to automatically find and organize thousands of key facts, cutting months of slow, manual research down to a fraction of the time. Sep 2 , a digital security provider, uses Gemini Enterprise to deploy autonomous AI agents for 24/7 threat monitoring — accelerating incident detection and quickly neutralizing security threats for its customers. Sunhouse, a strategic brand design agency, uses Gemini Enterprise to easily find archived design work stored on Google Drive, enabling its teams to spend less time hunting for files and more time growing its business with global brands. Terrapinn , a global B2B events company, is transforming its operations by leveraging Gemini models, NotebookLM, Looker, and BigQuery to turn manual tasks into automated workflows, accelerating how its teams design, market, and deliver world-class conferences. VoCoVo , a telecommunications provider, is integrating Google Cloud AI across its systems to turn isolated data into actionable intelligence and build autonomous workflows, streamlining routine operations so their team can focus on high-impact innovation. Empowering Your Team: AI Upskilling Resources for Growing British Businesses To help midsize teams maximize their impact and confidently navigate the modern AI landscape, we’ve developed a suite of dedicated, no-cost upskilling resources. Whether you want to train your existing teams or democratize data tools across your entire workforce, these programs will help you build an AI-ready organization: SMB-Focused Programs: Explore our new SMB Learning Path or enroll in the Gemini Enterprise Agent Ready (GEAR) program for specialized training in agentic AI. Google Skills for Organizations : Access our no-cost, on-demand learning platform featuring over 3,000 AI courses and hands-on labs created by experts at Google Cloud and Google DeepMind. Get Certified : Ready to validate your team's expertise? This premium, cohort-based program offers instructor-led training, technical mentorship, and AI-infused skill badges designed to prepare your team for industry-recognized certifications. By offering a full suite of SMB technology and training — from productivity in Workspace, to all our Ads services, and now powerful AI tools — Google is helping small and midsize firms thrive, no matter where the future takes us.