Beginners guide: How to use AI in your small business (2024).
Key takeaways
AI refers to technology that mimics human thinking to complete tasks like writing, predicting, or designing.
AI tools have rapidly grown in popularity due to advancements like ChatGPT and accessible user-friendly platforms.
Different AI tools serve different purposes, from writing and marketing to image creation and data analysis — all of which become far more effective when they support a well-structured website and marketing ecosystem.
Small businesses can use AI to save time, improve efficiency, and support decision-making.
The most effective use of AI comes from combining automation with human creativity and direction.
Firstly, AI (Artificial Intelligence) is simply the term used for technology that does things that traditionally requires human intelligence or creativity.
Predictive text on those old Nokia phones we had is a basic form of AI. When Google prompts you with some suggestions on the words to use next in your email; that’s AI. It has been around for years.
So why is AI, all of a sudden, a huge topic of conversation?
(First published in Feb 2023)
In Nov 2022, Open AI, a research company that aims to promote and develop “friendly” artificial intelligence, launched Chat GPT, a generative AI chatbot that provides conversational responses to your questions and queries. It can also take instruction and generate written articles based on the topics and parameters you give it. Within its first month of launch in December 2022, ChatGPT had over one million users. By January 2023, a month later, it had reached over 100 million active users, making it the world’s fastest growing consumer application to date. And it’s free to use! That’s why everyone’s talking about it.
But Chat GPT isn’t the only, nor the first, AI tool out there. Here are a three others that are worth checking out.
Canva - Magic Write.
Built into Canva (every business owners’ marketing BFF), Magic Write is another AI text generator that will help you quickly create the first draft of a document. Like ChatGPT, you prompt it with a topic or outline what you want, and it will generate text, blog topics, lists, captions, content ideas and more in seconds.
Jasper.ai
Similar to Chat GPT, Jasper is an AI tool that helps you create content quickly, but it’s a paid service that has a slightly different focus. ChatGPT is still in development mode, and is currently geared for research and experimentation. While Jasper is specifically designed for business use and is particularly strong on marketing content, sales pitches and social media captions. It starts at $49 (USD) per month for 50,000 words.
Midjourney
Midjourney uses AI to create images from text descriptions that you prompt it. Think of it as the artist, and you the creative director. Its purpose is to help you create original images without the need for your own photography, props or artwork. The images it generates can be hit or miss, depending on the prompts you give it, but when you get it right, Midjourney can be seriously impressive. It tends to generate artistic images with interesting use of light and shadow, sharp details and an aesthetic that’s not dissimilar to a dramatic movie poster, but they’re unique and designed for you. In the words of Midjourney’s founder, “we just want it to be easy to use – and we want the pictures to look good.”
And our favourite, and most used AI tool: Euryka.ai
We use Euryka.ai everyday in The Forest. It’s an Irish-born AI tool that rivals the best in the world.
Euryka is a game-changer for small business owners looking to dip their toes into the world of artificial intelligence. It's relatively straightforward and user-friendly, so you don't need to be a tech whiz to get started.
Think of Euryka as your digital assistant, ready to help you brainstorm with you, unlock your creativity or take on the mundane tasks that eat up your time. It does everything the AI tools mentioned above do. Plus, you can choose from a variety of expert personas to work with depending on the task at hand; whether that’s a copywriter, social media manager, business strategist, data analyst or other key role you might want to work with.
It helps you understand your data better, so you can make decisions that are spot on — especially when those insights feed into a strategy-led, high-converting website experience. Plus, it can boost your customer interactions and fine-tune your marketing efforts, giving you more time to focus on growing your business.
If you’re looking to choose one AI tool to start working with, start with Euryka. AI becomes less of a mystery and more of a practical tool that can help your business thrive — and sometimes even highlight when your brand messaging or positioning needs a rebrand or refinement to stay aligned with growth.
This blog post was adapted from content originally shared on Instagram. Follow @TheForest.ie
FAQs
What is the best way for a small business to start using AI tools?
A good starting point is identifying repetitive tasks in your business, such as content creation or customer communication, and testing simple AI tools that can support those areas.
Do I need technical skills to use AI in my business?
Most modern AI tools are designed to be user-friendly, meaning you can start using them effectively without any advanced technical knowledge.
How can AI support creativity rather than replace it?
AI works best as a support system that helps generate ideas, speed up drafts, and remove repetitive tasks, allowing business owners to focus more on strategy and refinement.
Final Thoughts
AI is no longer a future concept — it’s a practical tool small businesses can use right now to save time, improve efficiency, and support smarter decision-making.
From content creation to design, data analysis, and customer engagement, today’s AI tools are designed to remove repetitive work and help you focus more on strategy and creativity. But the real value doesn’t come from the tools themselves — it comes from how you use them.
When AI is guided by clear direction and human insight, it becomes a powerful extension of your business rather than a replacement for it. It can speed up your workflow, spark ideas, and improve consistency, while still keeping your brand voice and decision-making firmly in your control.
Ultimately, the businesses that benefit most from AI are not the ones using the most tools — but the ones using them intentionally, with clarity and purpose behind every application.
Ready to start using AI in a way that actually supports your business — not overwhelms it?
We help small business owners integrate the right tools, systems, and strategy so AI becomes a practical part of growth, not just another trend to keep up with.
→ Get in touch with The Forest
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