AI is becoming a first hire for small businesses

The popular image of AI entrepreneurship is a software founder in Silicon Valley building the next billion-dollar startup. But the more common—and potentially more economically significant—story may be happening among small businesses across the country.

A new OpenAI analysis⁠(opens in a new window) finds that at least four million people in the United States used ChatGPT during March 2026 to help plan, start, run, or grow a business. Most were not launching technology companies. They were operating consulting practices, online stores, home-service businesses, beauty practices, restaurants, and other firms. For these entrepreneurs, AI is not primarily a product to sell. It is a flexible source of capabilities that might otherwise require outside consultants, additional staff, or specialized software.

A tool for people doing many jobs at once

Large companies divide work among marketing, finance, legal, customer service, product, and operations teams. Entrepreneurs rarely have that luxury. Especially in a business’s early stages, the founder may perform all of these roles.

This creates a strong demand for general purpose assistance. Among active entrepreneurs identified in the report, the largest groups worked in professional and agency services, representing 22 percent of users, and retail and e-commerce, representing 21 percent. Home and trade services accounted for 12 percent, health and beauty practices for 11 percent, and food and hospitality businesses for 8 percent.

From exploring an idea to operating a business

The report examines ChatGPT usage by both prospective and active entrepreneurs. Approximately 29 percent of entrepreneurial users were prospective, while 71 percent were active. Prospective entrepreneurs are relatively more likely to use ChatGPT for branding, product development, and business validation. They may be asking whether there is a market for an idea, how a product could work, what a business should be called, or what it might cost to launch.