24.3%About 1 in 4of US firms with 1 to 4 employees used AI in a business function in the last two weeks, close to the 24.6% national rate
24.3% of US firms with 1 to 4 employees used AI in a business function in the last two weeks, close to the 24.6% national rate (Oct 2026, US Census Bureau, Business Trends and Outlook Survey)
since the previous figure: Under 20% (26 May 2026)
Margin of error: SE 0.32 points
Official dataChecked at source, 23 Oct 2026SmallUSAAI · Adoption by size
US firms using AI, by company size (5-18 Oct 2026)
Group
Firms using AI
1 to 4 staff
24.3%
5 to 9
22.6%
10 to 19
24.6%
20 to 49
26%
50 to 99
29%
100 to 249
35.3%
250 or more
43.6%
All US firms
24.6%
Source: US Census Bureau, Business Trends and Outlook SurveyCensus Employment Size Class file. Standard errors run from 0.32 points (1-4 staff) to 1.97 points (100-249 staff).digitaltreed.com/statistics
In plain words
What this number really says
24.3% of US firms with 1 to 4 employees used AI in a business function in the last two weeks, close to the 24.6% national rate (Oct 2026).
24.3%
the latest figure (Oct 2026)
Small
company size covered
Official data
type of source
Why you can trust it. US Census Bureau, Business Trends and Outlook Survey: official data, government statistics office or regulator. About 1.2 million US employer businesses in six panels of about 200,000; each panel reports every 12 weeks. About 24,000 responses in the 5-18 Oct 2026 wave (Census response file URR.xlsx, 12% response rate).
Compare yourself with the published data for firms your size.
24.3%
of US firms with 1 to 4 employees used AI in a business function in the last two weeks, close to the 24.6% national rate (small firms, USA). All firms: 24.6%.
You are here: with the firms not doing this yet
Most firms your size have not started either, so an early start is still an edge.
US Census Bureau, Business Trends and Outlook Survey
Source type
Official data: Government statistics office or regulator
What it measures
24.3% of US firms with 1 to 4 employees used AI in a business function in the last two weeks, close to the 24.6% national rate
Data period
Oct 2026 (ends 18 Oct 2026)
Published by the source
22 Oct 2026
Who is counted
About 1.2 million US employer businesses in six panels of about 200,000; each panel reports every 12 weeks. About 24,000 responses in the 5-18 Oct 2026 wave (Census response file URR.xlsx, 12% response rate).
Margin of error
SE 0.32 points
In the source's words
Employment Size Class.xlsx, Response Estimates: SI (formerly AI) use in the last two weeks, Yes, wave 202621, size class A (1 to 4 employees): 24.3%; standard error 0.32%
Checked at source
23 Oct 2026: Read in Employment Size Class.xlsx on census.gov, 2026-10-23. May story said "Less than 20%" (19.0% in AI_empsize.json).
Reuse
Public domain (US government work). Free to reuse; cite "US Census Bureau, Business Trends and Outlook Survey". Census labels BTOS an experimental data product.
26 May 2026New dataUnder 20% Census story: "Less than 20%" (19.0% in the data file), wave ending 3 May 2026.
Cite this number
APA
US Census Bureau. (2026). 24.3% of US firms with 1 to 4 employees used AI in a business function in the last two weeks, close to the 24.6% national rate. Via digitaltreed, https://digitaltreed.com/statistics/ai/us-ai-use-firms-1-4
MLA
"24.3% of US firms with 1 to 4 employees used AI in a business function in the last two weeks, close to the 24.6% national rate." US Census Bureau, Business Trends and Outlook Survey, Oct 2026. digitaltreed, https://digitaltreed.com/statistics/ai/us-ai-use-firms-1-4.
HTML link
<a href="https://digitaltreed.com/statistics/ai/us-ai-use-firms-1-4">24.3% of US firms with 1 to 4 employees used AI in a business function in the last two weeks, close to the 24.6% national rate</a> (US Census Bureau, Oct 2026)
Embed the chart
<iframe src="https://digitaltreed.com/statistics/embed/ai-us-use-by-size" width="640" height="420" loading="lazy" title="US firms using AI, by company size (5-18 Oct 2026)"></iframe>
<p>Source: <a href="https://digitaltreed.com/statistics/ai/us-ai-use-firms-1-4">24.3% of US firms with 1 to 4 employees used AI in a business function in the last two weeks, close to the 24.6% national rate, digitaltreed</a></p>
Keep the source link under the chart. The chart updates when the number does.
FAQ
Questions about this number
What is the latest figure for adoption by size (USA)?
24.3% of US firms with 1 to 4 employees used AI in a business function in the last two weeks, close to the 24.6% national rate, for Oct 2026, according to US Census Bureau, Business Trends and Outlook Survey. We checked it at the source on 23 Oct 2026.
Related
More AI statistics
Official dataLargeUSA
43.6%
of US firms with 250 or more employees used AI in a business function in the last two weeks, almost twice the national rate
Sample: About 1.2 million US employer businesses in six panels of about 200,000; each panel reports every 12 weeks. About 24,000 responses in the 5-18 Oct 2026 wave (Census response file URR.xlsx, 12% response rate).
of US firms with 100 to 249 employees used AI in a business function in the last two weeks
Sample: About 1.2 million US employer businesses in six panels of about 200,000; each panel reports every 12 weeks. About 24,000 responses in the 5-18 Oct 2026 wave (Census response file URR.xlsx, 12% response rate).
