77% OF SA Businesses AI-ready, Over Half See Benefits

The results come from the Asus 2025 Future of SMBs report, which surveyed South African business leaders on how small and midsize businesses (SMBs) are navigating digital transformation. The findings reflect not only a strong appetite for innovation but also growing confidence in AI’s real-world impact.

“There’s real momentum behind AI adoption in South Africa. Instead of holding back, businesses are embracing these tools to solve real challenges and unlock new opportunities,” says Marce Heath, business head of marketing at Asus South Africa.

South African SMBs lead in AI readiness

The survey reveals a market that is both confident in technology and pragmatic about its potential:

• 77% are ready to adopt AI immediately
• 51% are already seeing clear business outcomes
• 43% expect to see benefits within 1–2 years
• 92% agree that adopting AI helps retain younger employees

Respondents cited the following advantages:

• Improved productivity and operational efficiency (76%)
• Stronger data insights and analytics (67%)
• Faster, more informed decision-making (54%)

Even with this optimism, South African SMBs are approaching adoption strategically. Data security, system maintenance and the need to stay current with emerging technologies remain key concerns. This points to a preference for sustainable, long-term solutions over quick fixes.

The South African findings align with broader insights from Asus’s global white paper, Why SMBs Are Backing AI for Global Growth, based on research in 32 markets. Around the world, SMBs are leveraging AI to expand into new markets, navigate linguistic and operational barriers, and build long-term partnerships rather than short-term transactional relationships.

Rather than chasing scale for its own sake, many are opting for controlled, tech-enabled growth, with AI and trusted digital infrastructure playing a central role in helping businesses adapt with confidence.

Asus devices designed for the AI era

To support this shift, Asus has developed laptops and desktops tailored to the demands of intelligent, connected work. The Asus Expert P Series combines enterprise-grade security with collaboration-enabling features, such as real-time translation, automated meeting summaries and transcription, watermarking and smart system optimisation.

Powered by Asus AI ExpertMeet and Windows 11 Pro, these tools are helping teams collaborate securely, work more efficiently across time zones and adapt to hybrid work environments with ease.

“Technology should accelerate growth, not complicate it,” adds Heath. “With our AI-ready devices, we’re equipping South African businesses with practical, secure tools that support how they work today and into the future.”

It’s this blend of performance, usability and peace of mind that makes Asus devices a natural fit for the AI-driven priorities emerging across the local business landscape.

Behind the insights: Inside the Asus SMB study

The Asus 2025 Future of SMBs report surveyed 101 South African business leaders across industries, including general managers, IT specialists and procurement professionals. It forms part of a broader global study conducted across 32 markets to understand how SMBs are responding to technological change.

To access the full Asus 2025 Future of SMBs report or learn more about Asus Business, visit SMB AI white paper.

For media inquiries

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About Asus

Asus is a global technology brand that provides innovative and intuitive devices, components and solutions to deliver incredible experiences that enhance the lives of people everywhere. With its team of 5,000 in-house R&D experts, the company is world-renowned for continuously reimagining today’s technologies. Consistently ranked as one of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies, Asus is also committed to sustaining an incredible future. The goal is to create a net zero enterprise that helps drive the shift towards a circular economy, with a responsible supply chain creating shared value for every one of us.