AI MarketingVideo Blog3 min read
Meta asked YouGov to survey 3,983 small business owners in nine Asia-Pacific markets, and 86% said small businesses need more guidance to get the full benefits of AI. Big number. Here's the fine print: the survey was Meta-commissioned, covered nine Asia-Pacific markets, Canada was not included, and Meta says the findings are not nationally representative.
So why read on? Because of what those owners asked for: clearer information on cost and return, and guidance on data privacy and security. You don't need a survey to ask those questions about your own team. Let's get to it.
Key Takeaways
- Meta commissioned YouGov to survey 3,983 small business owners online in nine markets: Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan, India, Thailand, Japan and Hong Kong. Fieldwork ran from August 6 to September 2, 2026. The businesses had one to 49 employees.
- Meta reports that 86% of owners surveyed say small businesses need more guidance to gain the full benefits of AI, 84% say they use AI, and 76% report a positive effect on productivity.
- Cost was the leading barrier to training, cited by 51%, according to Meta. The support owners said they would value most: clearer information on cost and return, and guidance on data privacy and security.
- Meta says the findings are not nationally representative. Every figure here comes from Meta's own announcement, which also promotes Meta's tools and programs.
What did the survey find?
Meta reports that 86% of surveyed owners say small businesses need more guidance to gain the full benefits of AI. It also reports that 84% use AI, and that 76% report a positive effect on productivity.
Three numbers, one story: most of these owners are already using AI, and most still want a map.
Does it describe Canadian businesses?
No. Canada was not one of the nine markets, and Meta says the findings are not nationally representative of the small business population.
Read it as a window into what owners elsewhere are asking, not a Canadian scoreboard.
What did owners say they wanted?
Cost was the leading barrier to training, cited by 51% of owners surveyed, according to Meta. The support they said they would value most was clearer information on cost and return, and guidance on data privacy and security.
Translation: what is this costing me, what am I getting back, and where is my customers' data going?
What should a business do about it?
This part is the episode's advice, not the survey's. Three moves, one sitting:
- Add up what you spend on AI tools.
- Write down the one result you can point to.
- List what customer data goes into them.
If one of those three is a blank, you've found your next job.
The numbers at a glance
All figures are as reported by Meta, from a survey it commissioned.
| Measure | Finding |
|---|---|
| Owners surveyed | 3,983 |
| Markets | 9 (Asia-Pacific; Canada not included) |
| Say small businesses need more guidance on AI | 86% |
| Say they use AI | 84% |
| Report a positive effect on productivity | 76% |
| Cite cost as a barrier to training (the leading one) | 51% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who ran the survey? YouGov ran it online for Meta, with fieldwork from August 6 to September 2, 2026.
Is it representative? Meta says the findings are not nationally representative of the small business population.
Does it cover Canada? No. Canada was not one of the nine markets.
Related Links
Customer data going into AI tools? Start with the rules: Does Your Company Have an AI Policy?
Brains Bots and Business is where Sandeep shows you how to actually use AI to grow your company.
Sandbox Media is a marketing and AI agency in Milton, Ontario, serving businesses across the GTA and Canada.