LA Examiner

Category: AI

  • Higgsfield Wan 2.5 Goes Viral, Dominating Social Media for Three Days and Signaling a New Era in AI Video 

    Higgsfield Wan 2.5 Goes Viral, Dominating Social Media for Three Days and Signaling a New Era in AI Video 

    In the hyper-competitive arena of generative AI, capturing the internet’s attention is a monumental task. Sustaining it is nearly impossible. Yet, in a rare display of cultural resonance, the recent launch of Higgsfield Wan 2.5 did just that, dominating trending topics on both X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for three consecutive days. This was not a niche tech story; it was a cultural takeover, generating billions of impressions and signaling a seismic shift in the creator economy.1 

    The viral phenomenon was not driven by clever marketing, but by the product itself. Higgsfield, a platform already known for its focus on generative video for creators, delivered a one-two punch that addressed the biggest frustrations in the market: the lack of integrated audio and the restrictive, corporate-safe filters on creativity.1 By providing a powerful, uncensored tool with perfectly synchronized sound, Higgsfield didn’t just release an update; it unleashed a wave of authentic, user-driven content that proved the future of video creation is here, and it is loud, unfiltered, and moving at the speed of culture.1 

    The Catalyst for Virality: Uncensored AI Video Meets Internet Culture 

    The primary engine behind the three-day trend was Higgsfield’s deliberate decision to offer a truly uncensored AI video model. While competitors have built walled gardens with restrictive guardrails, Higgsfield built a platform for real internet culture.1 This meant empowering creators with the tools they have been asking for: support for celebrity likenesses, highly stylized prompts, and even the “improper language” that is an authentic part of online communication.1 

    This grant of creative freedom AI acted as a permission slip for genuine expression. Almost immediately, social feeds were flooded with a new genre of AI-native content. Creators began producing memes, cultural remixes, and edgy parodies that were previously impossible to generate on other platforms. The platform was used not just to create content, but to participate in the cultural conversation in real-time. 

    This move is a core part of Higgsfield’s mission of democratizing filmmaking.1 For decades, the ability to use parody and cultural touchstones was the exclusive domain of large studios. By removing these barriers, Higgsfield gave individual creators the same powerful narrative tools. As one influencer noted, “Shots that once took big crews and heavy rigs—now created in minutes from your bedroom”.1 The resulting explosion of content wasn’t just a testament to the technology; it was a demonstration of the massive, pent-up demand for a platform that trusts its users. 

    The Sound Revolution: From Silent Films to Full Cinematic Experiences 

    The second, equally powerful driver of the viral trend was the introduction of the revolutionary Higgsfield WAN Audio Synchronization System.1 For years, the AI video space has been plagued by a critical flaw: its silence. Even the most visually impressive models produced what were essentially silent films, forcing creators into a cumbersome post-production process of manually adding and syncing audio. 

    Higgsfield’s integration of Wan 2.5 solves this problem definitively. This is not simply an audio track laid over a video; it is a fully integrated system where sound is a core component of the generation process. The platform’s audio synchronization AI seamlessly aligns lip-sync AI, voiceovers, sound effects, and background music in a single pass, ensuring every video is delivered perfectly synced and ready to publish.1 

    This breakthrough unlocked entirely new forms of content that quickly populated social feeds. Creators began generating AI music videos where characters performed in time with the beat, dubbed scenes from famous movies with new dialogue, and crafted narrative-driven stories with emotionally resonant soundscapes. The platform’s ability to generate high-quality AI video with sound turned it from a visual novelty into an essential storytelling tool. To see this powerful audio integration in action, you can explore the full capabilities of(https://higgsfield.ai/wan-ai-video). 

    Furthermore, the platform was built for the formats that matter. Unlike competitors with shorter time limits, Higgsfield Wan 2.5 allows for videos up to 10 seconds long and supports three different aspect ratios, making it perfectly optimized for AI for social media platforms like TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts.1 

    A Market Signal: The Tipping Point for the Creator Economy 

    The sustained, three-day trend was more than a fleeting internet moment; it was a powerful market signal. With over 11 million users and 1.2 billion impressions in just five months, Higgsfield has demonstrated an extraordinary product-market fit, proving that it has built what the creator economy desperately needs.1 As CEO Alex Mashrabov stated, “We are the platform that makes creativity move at the speed of culture,” a vision validated by the platform’s organic social dominance.1 

    This success is amplified by a business model that prioritizes accessibility. While many competitors operate on restrictive, credit-based systems, Higgsfield offers unlimited AI video generation for subscribers, making it a superior and more cost-effective AI video solution.1 This has positioned it as the go-to 

    Veo 3 alternative for serious creators who need to produce content at scale without worrying about per-second costs or running out of credits. The platform’s recent $50 million Series A funding round, led by GFT Ventures, further validates this momentum, providing the capital to expand its enterprise platform and accelerate its go-to-market strategy.2 

    The Technology Behind the Trend: A Full Creative Ecosystem 

    The viral success of Wan 2.5 is amplified by the fact that it operates within Higgsfield’s comprehensive creative ecosystem. The platform is not just a generator; it’s a full-fledged AI video editor designed to provide director-level control.3 

    At its core is a library of over 50 pre-programmed AI camera control movements that replicate professional cinematography techniques.5 Creators can move beyond “prompt luck” and direct their scenes with intentionality, choosing from dolly zooms, crane shots, FPV arcs, and 360 orbits to create truly 

    cinematic AI video. This makes it a powerful RunwayML alternative and Pika Labs alternative for professionals who demand granular control. 

    The platform also offers a robust suite of AI for VFX, allowing creators to add studio-grade effects like explosions, disintegration, and levitation with a single click. This combination of advanced AI filmmaking tools, versatile text-to-video and image-to-video inputs, and next-generation HD AI video quality (1080p) makes Higgsfield a one-stop shop for modern content creation.6 

    The Future is Heard, Seen, and Unfiltered 

    The Higgsfield Wan 2.5 launch was a watershed moment for the generative AI industry. It proved that the most successful platforms will be those that empower, rather than restrict, their users. The three-day social media trend was a clear verdict from the creator community: they want tools that are powerful, accessible, and built for the authentic, unfiltered nature of internet culture. 

    By delivering a technically superior product with a revolutionary audio system and a philosophy rooted in creative freedom, Higgsfield has not only captured the cultural zeitgeist but has also set a new benchmark for all generative AI platforms. The future of video creation is here, and it is being shaped by millions of creators who finally have a tool that speaks their language. 

    Written in partnership with Tom White

  • A New Era of Collaboration: How Generative AI Reshapes Creativity

    A New Era of Collaboration: How Generative AI Reshapes Creativity

    Image credit: Pexels

    The notion that artificial intelligence is set to replace creativity steadily gives way to a more grounded reality. Today’s creative leaders are not sidelining imagination but streamlining their workflows with AI. The result is not diminished artistry but a redefined process where technology clears the way for deeper creative thinking.

    AI as Creative Jumpstart, Not Endpoint

    Generative AI is proving to be a useful accelerator rather than a replacement. It helps teams move faster, yet original thinking remains the foundation of meaningful work. Villain Branding, for example, integrates AI into its workflows and brand codexes without losing sight of strategic creativity. 

    As founder Lauryn Warnick puts it, “AI is a jumpstart, not the entire journey.”

    This distinction between AI integration and human intuition is critical. While algorithms generate drafts, options, or templates, human intuition’s judgment shapes the outcome. In practice, AI is taking over repetitive tasks so creative professionals can focus on building sharper, more resonant strategies.

    Warnick has noticed that teams often treat AI like a replacement for brainstorming, when in reality it works better as a spark. “I’ve seen people let the tool do all the thinking, and the results fall flat,” she said. “AI is great at giving you a pile of options, but it’s the human strategy that decides which one actually fits.” That perspective has helped her team draw sharper boundaries between what AI can accelerate and what it should never decide.

    She also frames AI as a way to reduce creative burnout. “The blank page is scary, whether you’re writing copy or building a campaign,” Warnick explained. “AI fills that void with raw material, and suddenly you’re back in your flow.” In her view, the biggest win isn’t speed alone, but the way AI clears away early friction so teams can lean into originality.

    Indie Filmmaking Gets a Visual Boost

    Nowhere is this collaboration more evident than in independent filmmaking, where budgets often limit ambition. Amerikids Productions has found balance by combining AI with traditional storytelling in its film Bird Woman: Sacagawea. With AI, the team brings historical settings and elements of magical realism to life without prohibitive costs.

    Producer Lynn Rogoff explains this approach: “We use AI as a visual effects tool, but the emotion and direction still come from us.” 

    This highlights the role of technology in providing the palette while the artist still holds the brush.

    Rogoff has long wrestled with the limits of indie filmmaking budgets, where even a few minutes of visual effects can derail a project. “AI gives us access to tools that used to be locked behind million-dollar productions,” she said. “Now we can build worlds that look authentic without mortgaging the film.” That accessibility, she believes, is key to leveling the playing field for smaller studios.

    But Rogoff insists the human role never goes away. “We still decide what the story feels like, what the characters carry in their voices and faces,” she explained. “AI just lowers the barrier to making those visions real.” For her, the technology is less about spectacle and more about giving indie filmmakers permission to dream bigger without losing their emotional grounding.

    Extending Flow State With AI

    At Forge, AI integration aims to preserve and extend creative “flow state.” By removing barriers that disrupt concentration, teams spend more energy generating ideas than handling manual tasks. Forge has even established an AI Media Lab to experiment with tools and guide clients through adoption.

    Matthew Givot, founder of Forge, conveys the message loud and clear: “We don’t see AI as a threat; we see it as a way to free up more time for actual creativity.” 

    Here, AI acts as a force multiplier, enhancing the human capacity for invention rather than diminishing it.

    Givot sees flow state as fragile, something easily broken by constant digital interruptions. “Every time you stop to copy-paste or hunt down a file, you lose your rhythm,” he said. “AI takes those tiny cuts out of the process so you stay in the zone.” His team’s AI Media Lab was built to experiment with exactly these friction points, testing which automations actually extend creative momentum instead of distracting from it.

    He also thinks of AI less as an add-on and more as invisible infrastructure. “The best tech fades into the background,” Givot explained. “If our clients notice it, it probably means it isn’t working.” For him, the measure of success is when teams forget the tool is even there because they’re too busy creating.

    The Role of Data in Creative Insight

    In business contexts, AI’s strength lies in speed and scale, not inspiration. AtScale demonstrates how technology can supply valuable context without intruding on human interpretation. By connecting AI to business data through a semantic layer, the company empowers teams to extract insights quickly, leaving the conceptual breakthroughs to people.

    AtScale co-founder David Mariani notes, “AI can combine what’s already known, but creativity is how we connect the dots.” 

    The framing positions AI as an assistant that organizes the raw material, while human creativity shapes the narrative.

    Mariani points out that most teams don’t struggle with a lack of data, but with too much of it. “AI can make sense of patterns that would take humans weeks to untangle,” he said. “But the real breakthrough happens when people use those patterns to tell a new story.” That distinction of having AI as pattern-finder and humans as storytellers, underpins AtScale’s approach to integrating AI into business workflows.

    He also warns that overreliance on AI can dull creative instincts. “If you only trust the algorithm, you’ll just repeat what’s already been done,” Mariani explained. “Creativity comes from connecting dots in ways no machine would think to.” For him, AI is most valuable when it speeds up the grunt work, leaving people with more time and energy to connect those dots differently.

    Education and the AI Future

    Education may be the arena where AI’s potential feels most urgent. Nolan Bushnell, often called the “father of the video game industry,” has turned his attention to reimagining how children learn. Together with Dr. Leah Hanes, he is co-authoring Shaping the Future of Education: The ExoDexa Manifesto, a book that lays out their shared vision for gamified, personalized learning powered by AI. 

    “AI is like a bicycle for the mind; it makes creativity and learning go faster,” Bushnell said, describing how adaptive technology can amplify curiosity instead of dulling it. He believes the old model of passive memorization is ready to be reinvented. “When education feels like play, kids do not just learn more, they want to keep learning,” he explained.

    Bushnell also points out that the speed of change in technology means schools cannot afford to wait. “If we do not prepare children for a world shaped by AI, we will be doing them a disservice,” he said. In his view, the tools exist today to create classrooms that are both more engaging and more practical. He sees gamification not as a gimmick, but as a bridge between natural human curiosity and the structured learning environments that education systems often rely on.

    AI has the same potential to act as a great equalizer that video games once did, according to Bushnell. “When I built Atari, I saw how games crossed borders and backgrounds instantly,” he recalled. “Education can do the same with AI if we design it right.” He sees the next frontier as building systems that give every learner, no matter their location or resources, access to the same quality of interactive, curiosity-driven education.

    Dr. Hanes echoes this urgency but brings the focus to equity and culture. “We have spent decades teaching kids to memorize, not to problem-solve,” she said. For her, AI provides the scaffolding for an entirely new approach where students can explore at their own pace with a coach-like system supporting them. “AI gives us the chance to reimagine what education looks like when every learner has a personalized coach,” Hanes explained. 

    The ExoDexa Manifesto positions this as a roadmap for democratizing access to high-quality education worldwide.

    Dr. Hanes also emphasizes that technology alone will not transform education without cultural readiness. “It is not just about giving a child an app, it is about preparing teachers and families to embrace a different style of learning.” She believes schools that commit to this vision will not only improve knowledge retention but also nurture resilience and creativity in future generations. In her eyes, the partnership between educators and technology can spark a cultural shift that makes learning both more inclusive and more inspiring.

    Final Thoughts: Raising the Bar, Not Replacing It

    The trend prevalent across industries shows AI not as a replacement for creative talent but as an aid in expanding creativity. From branding to filmmaking, business intelligence, or education, professionals increasingly find that AI enhances efficiency, opening up a new world of possibilities.

    The myth of replacement is fading with a vision of AI and human collaboration. Those who embrace AI as a tool stand a better chance of fast-tracking workflows, sharper insights, and enjoying the freedom to take bold creative leaps. The future of creativity is not machine versus human but the synergy of both, working in sync to raise the bar for what is possible.

  • How New AI Tools Are Reshaping Project Management

    How New AI Tools Are Reshaping Project Management

    Image credit: Pexels

    Artificial intelligence has expanded from the boundaries of mere project management to offer organizations more strategic ways to streamline work, enhance efficiencies, and stay competitive. With the increased use of these tools across industries, teams are struggling with tool overload, change fatigue, and scattered workflows. The challenge at present is not whether AI can help improve workflows, but how it can be applied profitably to reduce friction instead of adding to it.

    Automation in Action

    AI1

    Credit: Noxs AI

    One of the most promising developments is automation powered by multi-agent systems. These AI-powered systems reduce the burden of juggling multiple platforms by handling routine tracking and information retrieval. Instead of requiring managers to manually chase updates across scattered tools, AI can quietly perform these tasks in the background, saving precious time for other valuable tasks.

    Noxs AI is at the forefront of this shift. By automating repetitive tasks, the platform allows project leaders to focus on strategy and problem-solving rather than administrative work. Alena Tim, founder of Noxs AI highlighted the problem of fragmented software environments:

    “What we’ve noticed is that a lot of these tools create tool fatigue… Noxs tracks all digital signs across systems, and using AI, we automate these actions in the background.”

    This approach signals a turning point where less time is lost on administrative responsibilities and more energy is directed toward meaningful collaboration.

    Tim has seen firsthand how fragmented tools wear teams down. “Tools like Jira or ClickUp just highlight bottlenecks rather than fix them if people don’t update statuses or raise flags,” she said. Noxs addresses this by running in the background, tracking digital activity across systems, and handling the routine updates teams often forget. That shift not only prevents surprises at the end of a sprint but also cuts delays dramatically.

    She’s also noticed the human side of adoption matters just as much as the technical side. “Our main goal is not to create additional stress, but to relieve it,” Tim explained. By customizing notifications and escalation rules, Noxs acts more like a supportive colleague than a micromanager. 

    For project managers, this means less chasing and more leading. For engineers, it means having the right information or even a solution served up before they’re stuck.

    Bridging Tools and Strategy

    LA Examiner Vsimple scaled

    Credit: Vsimple

    Automation alone, however, does not guarantee success for any company. Organizations increasingly recognize the need for centralized digital workspaces that connect advanced AI tools directly to broader business strategies. This is where simplicity and adoption become crucial for entrepreneurs.

    Vsimple positions itself around this philosophy, pairing human oversight with AI-driven efficiency. Its focus is not on deploying complex technology for its own sake but ensuring that teams embrace solutions. 

    Buddy Bockweg, founder of Vsimple explained the importance of aligning technology with human behavior. 

    Bockweg explains, “Most technology falls short not because it isn’t sophisticated, but because it fails to be adopted. That’s why we tailor and physically implement our tech, not just hand it off.”

    Platforms like Vsimple are helping teams stay aligned without overwhelming them with unnecessary complexity by narrowing the gap between tools and strategy.

    Bockweg didn’t enter the tech world as a coder; he came from two decades in supply chains. That perspective shaped Vsimple’s approach. “I don’t come from software,” he said. “I spent years watching manufacturers and distributors lose weekends to disconnected tools and manual fixes. It was the same problem no matter the size of the company.”

    Vsimple was built to be that missing digital place where every department shows up to work together, cutting through the noise of too many platforms.

    He also sees AI as the force multiplier inside this connected environment. “We’re sitting in the middle of all their processes and data, so when we unleash AI it’s enormously valuable,” Bockweg explained.

    Instead of adding yet another tool, Vsimple folds automation, analytics, and real-time insights into one workspace. For leaders, it means fewer blind spots. For employees, it means escaping the grind of repetitive tasks and focusing on meaningful work.

    Leadership and Cultural Readiness

    AI3
    AI4

    Credits: Torch

    Even the best-designed tools can falter if organizations fail to prepare people for this change. Experts point out that AI integration is not purely a technical challenge but a leadership issue. Success depends on cultural readiness, collaborative mindsets, and leaders willing to rethink long-standing practices.

    Torch emphasizes this human dimension of AI adoption. The platform supports leadership development, helping organizations cultivate the adaptive skills to navigate technological disruption. 

    Heather Conklin, CEO of Torch noted, “AI breaks a lot of our traditional ways of operating… It requires ground-up collaboration and leaders willing to let go of what worked in the past.”

    Her perspective highlights that leadership, not software, often determines whether an AI rollout accelerates progress or deepens resistance.

    Conklin stresses that AI transformation starts with mindset, not just software. “The human skills were the hard part,” she said, recalling her days at Salesforce where coaching leaders on trust and influence proved more challenging than teaching technical skills.

    That realization now drives Torch’s programs, which blend coaching with cultural change to help leaders rethink how work should look in the age of AI.

    Torch’s work with LinkedIn illustrates this shift. “They knew AI readiness required people with high learning agility and big-picture thinking,” Conklin said.

    Coaching helped employees ask bigger questions: What should my role look like in this new era? What should we stop doing entirely now that AI exists? The answers not only prepared teams for new tools but also surfaced organizational blind spots, from unclear strategies to communication breakdowns. For Conklin, that’s proof that the future of AI in project management won’t be decided by code, but by culture.

    Final Thoughts

    AI tools for project management have their capabilities, but the effect may vary depending on how an organization uses them. So, basically, the opportunity presents itself in cutting human friction. This, in turn, minimizes tool fatigue, streamlines processes, and nurtures leaders who can embrace and work in new ways.

    As organizations harness the appropriate technological solutions and people-centered strategies, they will survive the present-day challenges and set the pace for future practice. As AI continues to integrate into project management ever so fast, formations that keep innovation linked with adoption will emerge as tomorrow’s leaders.

  • How Artificial Intelligence Tools Are Transforming Project Management

    How Artificial Intelligence Tools Are Transforming Project Management

    Image credits: Pexels

    Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has impacted many global industries, but project management has practically been redefined. Capable of rapidly automating tasks, analyzing data, and driving collaboration, AI’s influence in project management is evident. With new AI solutions being developed daily, these tools are changing how teams get work done in the first place.

    Creating Visibility for Smarter Strategies

    AI 1

    Credit: Local Falcon

    Businesses have long relied on search engine optimization (SEO) strategies to create visibility, but the rise of AI is changing how users receive information. AI search result tracking is now as essential as, if not more important than, SEO. Today, businesses must understand how visible they are on traditional search engines and AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google AI.

    Companies like Local Falcon, a geo-grid SEO visibility tool, are expanding their solutions to account for AI search result tracking. 

    As the company’s CEO, David Hunter, explained, “AI search results are still inconsistent, but they’re becoming too important to ignore; especially for local visibility.”

    Local visibility in AI search is still unpredictable, but this is exactly why measurement matters. Hunter explains, “most searches have local intent, and the AI environment doesn’t perform as well as Google Maps yet,” which makes it critical for businesses to track both. 

    By combining traditional SEO metrics with AI-specific reporting, Local Falcon helps owners spot gaps that could drain budgets or misdirect campaigns. Hunter added that many people assume AI search will replace traditional methods overnight, but the fundamentals remain. “A lot of the same methodologies you needed for traditional SEO and local SEO still absolutely apply here,” he said. “You can’t skimp on that. It still makes a big difference.”

    Applications of Field-First AI

    AI 2

    Credit: Linarc

    While most AI tools are focused on online applications, some are designed for real-time use in the field. Platforms like Linarc are purpose-built for construction, offering predictive scheduling and unified communication features. Others use AI tools to help teams adjust quickly when faced with material delays, shifting costs, and reports from the field.

    “Our predictive engine calculates the impact of every change,” Shanthi Rajan, founder and CEO of Linarc, shared, “so you’re not constantly reacting; you’re planning with foresight.”

    In many ways, field-first AI demonstrates that this technology can create solutions outside of online spaces. Real-time data has applications in almost every industry, and areas like construction are no exception.

    Rajan stressed that Linarc was never designed to be just another scheduling tool. It was built as a single source of truth for both office and field teams. “If your data is split across emails, texts, and Slack, you lose control,” she said, noting how fragmented communication often derails projects. 

    With Linarc, expenses, predictive analytics, and daily updates flow through one platform, giving managers a complete picture in real time. Its mobile-first design also ensures broad adoption on construction sites. “Even the smallest contractors today want technology on their side,” Rajan added. “We designed the mobile app so that crews can track progress, sign off, and even generate invoices right from the site.”

    Content Collaboration at Scale

    AI 3

    Credit: TinyMCE

    Small businesses and major corporations depend on their online presence for success, and AI tools have begun to power cloud tools. Compliance-heavy industries seek flexible application programming interfaces (APIs) offered by hybrid cloud setups to repurpose and realign internal resources and optimize developer productivity. 

    One platform, TinyMCE, powers 13% of global web content with AI tools.

    “We’re creating ‘Moneyball for developers,’” Michael Hideo, vice president at TinyMCE, stated, “using AI to compose the best team for each project.”

    For Hideo, the true value of TinyMCE lies in preserving and reviving institutional memory. Organizations generate thousands of pages of documentation, intranet posts, and technical notes, and AI now makes it possible to reuse content that might otherwise disappear into the archives. “TinyMCE is like plumbing. It’s invisible, but essential,” Hideo said. “Our role is to make sure content flows securely and efficiently at every scale.” 

    That efficiency also depends on secure infrastructure, and Hideo believes the future lies in flexible architectures. “Hybrid cloud is where the world is going,” he explained. “By designing TinyMCE as APIs, we let developers scale globally while still protecting sensitive data locally.”

    Reimagining Meetings With Digital Coworkers

    AI 4

    Credit: Arthur Technologies

    One of the most popular applications of AI in project management is the so-called “digital coworker,” which is intended to support human team members. An effective digital coworker can handle various tasks or facilitate the next steps for human team members to progress a strategy. Using tools such as these, companies can maximize their team’s effectiveness.

    Organizations like Arthur Technologies provide businesses access to two distinct AI-powered platforms, one in virtual reality (VR) and one web-based solution. Both act as digital team members, capable of facilitating interviews, synthesizing group feedback, and proposing next steps.

    “AI isn’t just a tool anymore,” Christoph Fleischmann, founder of Arthur Technologies, explained. It’s a team member with perspective, memory, and insight.”

    Fleischmann emphasized that Arthur’s digital coworkers are not meant to replace human input but to expand it. The system can interview participants in parallel, surface overlooked risks, and generate unbiased agendas, creating what he calls an “aperture of discussion.” 

    “We always thought the most powerful AI applications behave like team members, not tools,” Fleischmann said, describing how the technology helps teams avoid bias and groupthink. 

    For complex projects that stretch across geographies, he argued that immersive collaboration can even outperform traditional meetings. “If you’re dealing with complex topics across geographies, immersive collaboration outperforms traditional platforms,” he explained. “It puts everyone in the same room, without the flights and the compromises.”

    Transforming Project Management in 2025

    Whether a company needs to improve its ranking in AI search results or to manage construction timelines better, AI tools provide a solution. Businesses find new opportunities to succeed as the best platforms push their solutions beyond automation, aiming to augment human strengths and bolster collaboration.

    AI technology is developing rapidly, and project management tools benefit from its growth. Whether a business is unsure about adopting an AI solution or has already integrated several tools into its operations, continued improvement solidifies this technology’s place in global industries.

  • The New Creative Class: Top AI Tools Turning Small Teams Into Global Storytellers

    The New Creative Class: Top AI Tools Turning Small Teams Into Global Storytellers

    Image credits: Pexels

    Over the past several years, AI has become an indispensable tool for many business models. While the technological tool was viewed with skepticism when it was first unveiled to the public in 2022, it gained prominence quickly after many businesses realized its unique capabilities in consuming and parsing large amounts of data. Now, that foundational form of worth is carrying over to make the tool equally valuable to digital content.

    As digital content demands increase, small teams are pressured to deliver high-quality, relevant content faster than ever. As platforms such as social media sites have accelerated the content creation cycle to a breakneck pace, many teams are now turning to AI to help create and upload their content faster than ever before. AI tools are rising to meet that need, assisting brands in testing ideas, translating messages, and running campaigns at scale.

    Simulating Success Before Launch

    One such tool, Artificial Societies, is a platform that uses AI personas to simulate audience reactions to content. In the past, brands would gather test audiences to gauge how well a given product might perform with consumers as a whole. However, this was a time-consuming, costly procedure. With this new AI tool, brands can conduct similar research and receive valuable answers to their questions in moments. 

    James He, co-founder and CEO of Artificial Societies, says, “The most surprising thing we keep learning is that users want even more speed; people will wait 30 seconds for results, but they’d prefer three seconds.”

    Beyond speed, He emphasizes that the true power of simulation is in encouraging bold ideas that creators might otherwise dismiss. “The biggest difference is not in the wording or the hook, but in the idea itself. What simulation allows is the freedom to experiment, make mistakes, and find the best ideas without the real-world cost of losing subscribers or money.”

    Looking ahead, He believes simulations will broaden far beyond social media. “In the next year, we are taking this technology to verticals from investor pitches to even simulating how an audience might respond to an earnings call. The goal is simple: give creators and companies a safe sandbox to test bold ideas before risking them in the wild.”

    Scaling Smart Content Across Languages

    Elsewhere, Smartcat helps companies produce localized, brand-consistent content using internal knowledge and AI workflows. The platform handles over 70 content types and integrates various tools to automate entire content lifecycles. 

    Furthermore, SmartCat’s AI editing process often saves more time than traditional agency reviews, while being significantly more cost-effective.

    Future developments focus on multi-agent systems for complex workflows and a “skill graph” to make expert knowledge accessible across enterprise use cases. 

    CEO Ivan Smolnikov says, “Our AI gets more on-brand and higher quality over time thanks to constant feedback from subject matter experts.” 

    Smolnikov emphasizes that authenticity is inseparable from consistency. “Every enterprise has its own identity and its own dictionary of terms. Our role is to make sure AI respects that uniqueness, whether it’s BMW, Toyota, or Pfizer… the terminology, the tone, the compliance rules all need to be preserved so content doesn’t just look right, but feels right to the people inside the company.”

    For smaller creators, Smolnikov points out the global opportunity. “Today, even an individual can take a podcast and have it sound natural in fifteen different languages with their own cloned voice. People underestimate what’s possible right now, which is global reach that once felt out of reach is now completely within their grasp.”

    Influencer Marketing Made Scalable

    Endlss automates influencer outreach, vetting, and messaging for small DTC brands. The platform has seen a 3410% growth in influencer applicants over the past two months, demonstrating the growing demand for such a service. Endlss uses AI for personalized messaging, template creation, and data-driven influencer vetting, and has formed a partnership with CreatorCommerce, which has led to a 7260% lift in conversion rates over two months.

    David Abbey, CEO of Endlss says, “We’re making influencer marketing accessible for the five-to-ten person team that would otherwise never have the time or budget to run it.”

    Abbey notes that efficiency is about more than automating outreach, but about elevating creative work. “Too many small teams spend their brightest talent just emailing creators. AI takes that load away so those same employees can focus on building campaigns that actually inspire people. That’s the real ROI. Stronger employees, stronger campaigns.”

    Ultimately, Abbey views the platform as part of a trust-building ecosystem. “What excites me most is when brand, influencer, and consumer all walk away saying, that was a great experience. Transparent payments, seamless gifting, clear communication. That’s how you build lasting trust, and AI is the engine that makes it scalable.”

    AI is Reshaping the Future of Content Creation

    Whether testing content before it goes live, translating it into 20 languages, or launching a product with a dozen influencers, AI is helping small teams create like giants. With the right tools, your team’s size no longer limits the scale of your impact. Though the market and media cycle now moves with unprecedented speed, with these boundary-pushing tools, so can you and your team. 

    AI is proving to be an effective tool for businesses of all sizes. It is reshaping content creation, giving companies a competitive advantage in the fast-paced digital world. More and more companies are turning to it to stay up-to-date in their industries.

  • From Tedious Tasks to Creative Collaboration: AI Tools Transform Content Creation

    From Tedious Tasks to Creative Collaboration: AI Tools Transform Content Creation

    Image credit: Unsplash

    With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), content creation has found a new dimension. This rapid evolution has fueled both excitement and apprehension among creators. While the debate over whether machines replace human intelligence is still raging, the real picture is more nuanced. AI is not poised to replace creative professionals; instead, it increasingly serves as a powerful ally. It is a technology designed to streamline repetitive tasks involved in content creation. 

    This enhances collaboration and unlocks new possibilities for repurposing content.

    From newsrooms to marketing agencies, creators are discovering that these tools can significantly reduce the time spent on labor-intensive processes. AI empowers creators to save time on repetitive tasks and focus more on storytelling, strategy, and innovation.

    AI as a Creative Co-Pilot

    AI-powered platforms like Trint are leading this shift by automating essential yet time-consuming steps involved in content production. These platforms can streamline tasks ranging from transcription to translation and even collaborative editing. Trint has become an indispensable resource for journalists, podcasters, and video producers willing to reach wider or more specific audience groups.

    “We want to save you time on every boring, tedious, expensive part of the process,” says Tessa Kaday, Director of Product at Trint.

    This approach highlights the growing consensus in the industry. AI works best when it handles the mechanical aspects of production, leaving creators free to concentrate on the craft that machines cannot replicate.

    Kaday highlights that Trint’s mission goes beyond transcription accuracy. “Every interview, every press conference, every podcast has hidden nuggets. Our job is to make them instantly searchable and reusable so creators can turn hours of material into polished stories without drowning in the process.”

    For the Trint team, the next wave of AI will be seen to remove even more friction from storytelling. “The transcript itself is not the point, it is the bridge. AI should get you from messy raw content to the polished story your audience cares about faster than ever, while still keeping your voice at the center.”

    Authenticity Still Wins

    Despite the rise of AI-powered tools, authenticity remains the backbone of creating impactful content. BrandLens exemplifies this principle by ensuring its core content remains 100% human-made. While the platform leverages AI for backend functions such as moderation and campaign ideation, it draws a clear boundary regarding creation.

    “We can, with 100% certainty, say that our content was made with humans and zero AI was involved in that,” states Vahag Karayan, co-founder and CEO of BrandLens. 

    This model demonstrates how companies can balance AI’s efficiency gains with the demand for genuine, relatable content, a critical factor for brands aiming to build trust in an increasingly automated world.

    Karayan points out that the real challenge is not technology but mindset. “A lot of companies are used to paying influencers for one flashy campaign, but they miss the bigger opportunity. If you engage your customers consistently, they will create evergreen content that tells your story for years. That is worth far more than a single viral hit.”

    Looking to the future, Karayan emphasizes that the evolution of AI must respect the line between synthetic and authentic. “You cannot call AI-generated video user-generated content. True UGC is someone picking up their phone and speaking from the heart. AI can support that, but it cannot replace it.”

    The Combination of Human + AI

    In entertainment, blending human creativity with machine efficiency creates more fresh possibilities. ComedyBytes, an interactive AI-powered comedy show, is a perfect example. It illustrates how the synergy between artificial intelligence and human connection works. The platform combines AI-generated jokes, avatars, and visuals with human curation, delivering an interactive experience that feels innovative yet personal.

    “The creative orchestration process is very much still retaining an artist’s voice, even if you’re using AI tools,” explains Doyle of ComedyBytes. 

    This hybrid approach highlights a central truth. While AI can assist with speed and scale, the essence of humor or any art form still relies on the human touch.

    The experimentation itself is part of the art. “When you find that one AI-written line that actually makes you jump in your seat, you realize this isn’t about machines replacing comedians, it’s about us pushing creativity into places we wouldn’t go alone,” Doyle explains. That process of trial, error, and curation is what keeps ComedyBytes authentic and entertaining.

    Looking ahead, Doyle believes the future lies in real time interactivity between AI and performers. “The big leap will be when we can roast battle a live AI avatar unscripted, on stage, in front of an audience. That’s the next frontier, a new form of entertainment where human wit and machine improvisation collide.”

    Final Thoughts: Collaboration Over Competition

    The rising number of AI tools for content creation signals a watershed moment, not a takeover moment. Creative professionals are now learning to embrace these technologies as their ally or partner instead of viewing them as threats. From streamlining transcriptions to aiding in campaign conceptualization and improving entertainment formats, AI tools are redefining workflows to make them faster, smarter, and more efficient.

    In the current industry scenario, primarily dominated by AI, the future belongs to those creators who will understand and embrace the success of machine-aided work. Whether they are journalists, marketers, comedians, or creators, AI tools are indispensable for saving their precious time and delivering efficiency, but they are never a replacement for their human connection. While content creation is evolving at a rapid pace, it is evident that AI tools are at the forefront to amplify their reach and engagement, silently assisting the human workforce. 

  • How AI Is Reshaping Business Communication and Marketing for Small Enterprises

    How AI Is Reshaping Business Communication and Marketing for Small Enterprises

    Image credit: Pexels

    Artificial intelligence is no longer just for big companies with huge tech budgets. In recent years, AI’s rapid growth has started transforming how small and midsize businesses communicate, market, and connect with their customers. Technology that was once only available to large enterprises is now more accessible, enabling smaller businesses to compete more fairly.

    Secure Communications as a Service (SCaaS)

    One of the most evident signs of this shift is the growing focus on secure and compliant communication across industries. As digital interactions increase, companies need efficiency and protection of their sensitive information. Voice, which was once less popular than text-based messaging, is now making a comeback. This time, it is supported by AI-driven synthesis and data insights.

    Movius, a company specializing in Secure Communication as a Service (SCaaS), has stepped into this space, offering a solution designed to safeguard data while providing actionable intelligence. Their platform integrates AI-enabled voice capabilities, allowing businesses to derive insights from conversations without compromising security. 

    The company’s philosophy highlights a new direction in AI. Ananth Siva, CEO of Movius, explains, “Our focus is on ‘assisted intelligence’ rather than artificial intelligence; AI designed to work alongside humans, enhancing productivity.”

    Movius’ AI tool, Clare, goes a step further by analyzing unstructured conversational data to offer coaching insights to employees. The platform is helping businesses utilize AI as an ally rather than a replacement for the existing workforce or infrastructure. With this approach, Movius showcases how technology can strengthen trust, communication, and compliance across over 70 industries.

    Siva highlights how the company’s AI-driven tool Clare has redefined coaching for employees. “What we’ve seen is that Clare almost becomes everyone’s personal coach, providing real-time feedback from actual business conversations.”

    For small businesses that cannot afford extensive training programs, this means staff can continuously improve communication skills while maintaining compliance. This combination that elevates both productivity and customer trust.

    Marketing and Customer Engagement Reimagined

    Beyond communication, AI is quickly changing how small businesses handle marketing and customer relationships. The rise of affordable AI tools has enabled companies to personalize campaigns, automate routine tasks, and interpret data faster.

    Catalyst Marketing has assembled a solid AI tech stack to help its clients. It includes Navu, an AI chatbot, note-taking tools like Fathom, and reasoning models such as Claude and Perplexity. The firm regularly reviews new technologies to improve performance. For small businesses, this means better customer engagement strategies and scalable solutions that were previously out of reach.

    Yet, Catalyst emphasizes that automation alone cannot drive genuine connection. In their approach, AI functions as an enhancer of human capabilities. Handling repetitive tasks frees marketers to focus on creativity and relationships. As the firm notes, the goal is to help marketers become “better humans” by using AI to deepen, not replace, customer connections.

    Catalyst’s commitment to people-first marketing shows in how they integrate AI. “Our clients come to us overwhelmed, asking where to even start. We’ve built a vetted AI tech stack so they don’t have to waste time experimenting,” says Robin Emiliani, co-founder of Catalyst Marketing. She adds that tools like Claude and Perplexity drastically reduce the time spent on proposals and content creation, while AI chatbots like Navu make websites more discoverable. This balance of experimentation and structure allows small businesses to adopt AI without losing their creative edge.

    “Humans have always been a part of our business and have been the core of our business. It’s just that we’re leveraging these tools to be able to connect better, connect faster, and drive it to revenue,” says Emiliani.

    Making AI Accessible for Everyday Operations

    While innovation abounds, small businesses increasingly face the challenge of adopting AI without being overwhelmed. Thryv has addressed this with its “crawl, walk, run” approach, designed to ease companies into digital transformation. The company provides AI-powered tools for social media management, review responses, and marketing automation. These are emerging as practical solutions for enhancing visibility and customer retention without steep learning curves.

    “So we’re seeing growing adoption and desire for AI-based answering tools, right?” says Grant Freeman, President of Thryv. “The phone rings three times. I don’t get it. Now it goes to an AI voice assistant, right? And now it’s capturing information, it’s filling my CRM, and it’s kicking off in automation.”

    For Freeman, the bigger picture is about restoring confidence to small business owners. “The help that AI assistants give small business owners returns a sense of pride,” he says. “They feel empowered, emboldened, and proud that they can keep up in this high-tech world”. By pairing AI with human oversight, Thryv ensures entrepreneurs not only save time but also feel re-energized about running their businesses.

    This model ensures that business owners maintain control while building confidence in automation. Thryv reduces the anxiety accompanying technological change by keeping humans in the loop. The result is a balance between efficiency and oversight, allowing AI to serve as a support system rather than a disruptive force.

    The Future of AI in Small Enterprises

    The path of AI in small business operations suggests even more personalization and applications tailored to specific industries. Language models designed for certain sectors are likely to improve customer experiences. AI-driven search discoverability will boost online presence. Voice assistants and automated follow-up systems are expected to play a key role in small business workflows. They will close communication gaps and ensure that no opportunity slips away.

    What unites these innovations is a shift in perception. AI is no longer seen as an “artificial” intelligence seeking to replace human judgment. Instead, companies are demonstrating how “assisted intelligence” can elevate productivity, improve security, and promote more meaningful connections.

    Final Thoughts

    The way small businesses communicate and market themselves is changing. Tools once only for bigger companies are now available to small and mid-sized enterprises. Secured voice platforms and personalized marketing automation are examples of this shift. AI is gradually becoming crucial for today’s business operations. However, its real value is not in taking over the human workforce but in assisting it.

  • The Best AI Tools for Small Businesses

    The Best AI Tools for Small Businesses

    Image credit: Pexels

    While artificial intelligence is increasingly impacting industries, small businesses are coming forward to adopt these tools to stay relevant in this competitive space. Whether automating repetitive tasks or enhancing customer engagement, AI is becoming more than just a trend; it’s becoming an essential part of daily operations. 

    However, with the overwhelming number of platforms available, many entrepreneurs face the challenge of determining which tools will deliver measurable results. 

    Streamlining Client Management

    Managing clients is one of the most time-consuming tasks of running a business. Honeybook, a clientflow and business management platform, has positioned itself as a solution designed specifically for freelancers and small business owners.

    Honeybook offers a central system for proposals, invoicing, and scheduling. It also automates repetitive administrative tasks. The platform provides a single place to manage everything for businesses that often struggle to balance multiple client communications. This saves work hours each week and helps entrepreneurs appear organized and professional.

    Consider a small design agency managing multiple client projects simultaneously. Instead of manually sending contracts, reminders, and invoices, the agency can use AI to streamline each step. This change allows more time for creative work and less for paperwork, which can directly impact profitability.

    Automating Marketing & Content Creation

    If operations are a business’s backbone, marketing is its voice. Blaze.AI has emerged as a powerful tool for companies that lack the resources to maintain a full-scale marketing department.

    Blaze.AI, often called a “virtual marketer,” is an AI-powered platform that assists businesses in creating advanced marketing campaigns that would otherwise require dedicated staff. This empowers small and mid-sized firms to compete more efficiently with larger enterprises, from automated content writing to social media scheduling and analytics-driven optimization.

    For instance, a local café can use AI to generate engaging posts highlighting new menu items, schedule them across platforms, and analyze which content resonates most with its audience. By automating these processes, the café maintains an active online presence and gains insights that inform future campaigns without hiring a marketing team.

    AI Strategy for Small Businesses

    While tools like Honeybook and Blaze.AI offer tangible solutions, strategy is what ensures long-term success. This is where Dr. Christina Inge, an educator, consultant, and thought leader in AI, plays a pivotal role.

    “I’ve been using AI since before ChatGPT came out, and one of the things that I’ve noticed is that it makes it possible and affordable for small businesses to be able to, for instance, figure out how to set their pricing model, or it enables them to build a business,” says Dr. Inge.

    Dr. Inge helps businesses use AI tools thoughtfully and ethically. Through training sessions, workshops, and consulting, she offers guidance on how to integrate AI into business practices meaningfully. Her work highlights that adopting AI is not about following trends but making a real difference for small businesses.

    A retailer, for example, might be tempted to use AI tools just because competitors are doing so. With a thoughtful approach, that retailer would instead look at how AI could improve inventory management, personalize customer interactions, or simplify supply chain operations. This ensures the technology directly supports business goals.

    Beyond individual case studies, Dr. Inge emphasizes that the real value of AI lies in helping small business owners reclaim their time and focus. “Once clients understand that AI isn’t replacing them but amplifying their productivity, the skepticism fades,” she explains. “It’s not about trusting a robot to run your business, it’s about having more hours back in your day to do the work only you can do.” This perspective underscores that AI’s role is less about automation for its own sake and more about enabling entrepreneurs to scale what they do best

    Choosing the Right AI for Your Business

    AI is no longer just for large companies with big budgets. Small businesses can now use tools that reduce costs, save time, and improve operations, marketing, and strategy efficiency. For small business owners, the best starting point is to identify their most pressing challenge, and AI is becoming beneficial for small businesses to address these challenges.

  • California’s Leadership Keynote Speaker and Seasoned Futurist, Nick Jankel, on the Future of Speaking in the Age of AI

    California’s Leadership Keynote Speaker and Seasoned Futurist, Nick Jankel, on the Future of Speaking in the Age of AI

    In an era when AI tools can write speeches and avatars can deliver them, the keynote industry is facing a reckoning. Yet for leadership keynote speaker and futurist Nick Jankel, this is not a crisis; it’s an invitation to adapt, evolve, and become even better at the craft.

    Jankel, a globally recognized leadership keynote speaker and futurist speaker, raised in London and now based in California, has built a career not just on delivering ideas but transforming audiences. “I think the industry has to add more value than mere information, which people can discover using AI,” he explains. “That is why I am pushing the boundaries of what a keynote speaker can do, from informative > motivational > inspirational > transformational.”

    With more than 1,000 keynotes under his belt, Jankel knows the weight of standing before a crowd. He has spoken at No. 10 Downing Street (the UK Prime Minister’s headquarters), advised governments, and worked with global giants such as Microsoft, Google, and Unilever. Still, he believes the real impact of a leadership or futurist keynote speaker comes from offering more than insight. It comes from transformation.

    Pushing the Boundaries of the Stage

    Jankel started speaking when he was just 15. Over the years, he’s grown into a globally respected leadership keynote speaker, developing a unique methodology that blends neuroscience, systems thinking, futurism, emotional agility, and storytelling. “If you understand how to share thought leadership with inspiration and influence on stage, on TV, and in books, you can make a real difference to people’s lives,” he says.

    That philosophy powers his consultancy, Switch On Leadership, where he leads transformational leadership programs and breakthrough innovation initiatives. His BTX® Method, backed by neuroscience, helps leaders navigate rapid change and unlock personal and organizational transformation as fast as humanly possible.

    Far from viewing AI as a threat, Jankel embraces it as a creative partner. As a leadership keynote speaker and thought leader, he uses AI to enhance and accelerate book writing and content production (blogs, video edits, imagery, etc), all while ensuring the work remains original, relevant, and deeply human.

    Most of all, he constantly sharpens his on-stage presence so he can not just inform and inspire but actually catalyze change.

    Keynotes as Catalysts

    The traditional keynote format, Jankel believes, is ripe for disruption. “I balance the need to be a thought leader with my capacity as a transformation catalyst and large group facilitator,” he explains. He’s pioneered interactive formats, immersive journeys, and even gamified elements to shift how audiences engage.

    “Audiences are sick of smart people standing on stage telling everyone else what to think,” Jankel notes. His solution? Engaging people with puzzles, music, and live facilitation techniques that invite participation and drive mindset shifts in real-time.

    As a leadership keynote speaker and futurist, Jankel’s focus is not just predicting what’s ahead. It’s helping leaders shape it. Whether guiding companies through digital transformation or challenging industries to rethink innovation, his work centers on what he calls “leadership futurism”, not just reacting to the future but proactively forging it.

    Most keynote speakers are able to talk about geopolitical risks or leadership thinking or digital transformation or high-performance cultures or today’s AI capabilities and opportunities or the future of work/leadership/business.

    Because of his unique career path, from scientist to strategist to catalyst, Jankel’s leadership keynotes integrate futurist-style geo-political risks, AI deployment, high-performance cultures, future-fit leadership skills and tools, and industry-specific growth and innovation opportunities into a coherent journey.

    From Burnout to Breakthrough

    Like many in the industry, Jankel has faced his share of pain and burnout. A few years ago, he even questioned whether keynote speaking was still his calling. But instead of stepping back, he reconnected with his deeper purpose and did what he invites his clients to do: turn lemons into lemonade.

    “I metabolized the feelings of despondency and tiredness into a major breakthrough, which has had me fall back in love all over again with keynote speaking and thought leadership,” he reflects.

    That renewal now powers his new book on transformative public speaking, a TV show in development, and a growing online presence. It also sharpens his work as a futurist keynote speaker, serving clients who want more than just a performance; they want a paradigm shift.

    An Inspiration, Guide, and Motivator for Leaders In An AI World

    Nick Jankel’s story highlights the evolution of the speaking industry and the need for transformation in the age of AI. As he looks ahead, his mission is clear: to continue pushing the boundaries of what a leadership keynote speaker and futurist can offer, helping leaders and teams not just adapt to the future, but create it.
    For more information about Nick and his work, visit nickjankel.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

    Written in partnership with Tom White

  • AI Agents Are Becoming a Secret Weapon for Small Businesses

    AI Agents Are Becoming a Secret Weapon for Small Businesses

    Image credit: Unsplash

    Small businesses across industries, ranging from professional services to home improvement, are embracing artificial intelligence at an unprecedented pace. What was once a “nice-to-have” tool is quickly becoming a competitive necessity. Automation now underpins everything from client communication to operational efficiency, helping lean teams punch far above their weight.

    What Are AI Agents and Why Do They Matter?

    At the core of the massive shift toward AI integration is the use of AI agents. They are digital workers capable of executing multi-step tasks with minimal oversight. AI agents can effectively manage customer inquiries, schedule appointments, run marketing campaigns, and supervise day-to-day operations. For many small business owners, this technology is like a key to freedom from repetitive but critical tasks, which means more time to focus on a strategy that will help their businesses grow faster.

    Case Studies of AI in Action

    The impact of AI integration is measurable. Some businesses are now launching fully functional websites within hours, while others are utilizing AI agents to answer up to 90% of missed calls. This is helping them capture leads that might otherwise have slipped away. Finance teams are reclaiming as much as two workdays per week, thanks to automated reporting and reconciliation. Affordable “agents for hire” models are also emerging, bringing enterprise-grade automation into reach for small and mid-sized businesses that once considered such tools out of budget.

    Privacy and Data Security Considerations

    With greater capabilities comes greater responsibility. While small businesses are increasingly embracing the power of AI, they must also ensure that these tools handle their sensitive data securely. This is especially important for industries like healthcare and finance, where compliance and confidentiality are paramount. The rise of private AI deployments among small and mid-size businesses shows a growing awareness that convenience should not come at the cost of security.

    From Support to Strategy

    As businesses streamline their repetitive and critical multi-step tasks with AI agents, experts have already predicted future advancements. According to them, these digital workers will evolve from being support tools to complete business assistants, prioritizing tasks, qualifying leads, and making strategic recommendations in real time. This evolution could render some outdated outsourcing models obsolete, empowering businesses to exercise control over their operations while reducing reliance on third parties.

    Industry Innovators Leading the Charge

    Companies like Alignable, Bill.com, Influx Technologies, and OpenPhone are among those driving AI adoption for small business ventures to streamline everyday tasks. They offer tools that integrate seamlessly into existing workflows, proving that AI can be both powerful and approachable. As Daz, CEO of Flux AI at Influx Technologies, puts it: “You’ve got to utilize and jump on AI right now so you don’t get left behind. It’s a productivity enhancement—three, five, even ten times faster than before.”

    Innovate or Stay Behind

    Considering the power and impact of AI agents in small businesses, it can be said that ventures aiming to remain competitive in the present market should start experimenting with AI. Beginning with one or two AI-driven processes can deliver quick wins and build confidence. The key here is to treat AI as a partner at the workplace and not as a replacement for human teams. This technology should be utilized as a tool to enhance creativity, efficiency, and growth potential.

  • Getting to Know the Best AI Tools for Small Businesses

    Getting to Know the Best AI Tools for Small Businesses

    Image credit: Unsplash

    Small businesses are adopting AI more quickly than ever as competition gets fiercer by the day. According to BizBuySell, the rate of small businesses using AI has more than doubled, spiking from 26% (2023) to 60% (2025). As a result, entrepreneurs are treating AI as an integral tool for productivity, marketing, and client engagement. When small companies make the most of tech, the growth possibilities can even reach enterprise levels.

    While there is a seemingly endless number of AI tools, here are some of the most creative and accessible options to help small businesses grow and streamline their day-to-day. 

    A Better Way to Schedule Using AI Assistants

    There are plenty of tedious tasks that can hinder productivity. Managing an intense calendar is at the top of the list. Skej provides a sleek, affordable AI assistant that takes the scheduling process further than basic booking tools. Instead, Skej uses natural language to manage calendars, construct daily agendas, and coordinate across platforms like Slack, WhatsApp, and MS Teams. 

    Yet Skej offers more than just a tool. Users can give their assistant a name and interact as if it’s a member of the team. Skej co-founder Paul Canetti explains, “We’re trying to give everyone this superpower of having an assistant. It’s about liberating time to focus on higher-value activities.”

    Justin Canetti pointed out one of the most surprising reactions from users: people often forget they’re talking to AI at all. “We’ve had users loop Skej into email threads with clients or coworkers, and no one realizes it’s not a real person,” he said. “The assistant takes over the conversation so naturally that it becomes part of the workflow without anyone needing to adjust.” That level of seamless interaction, he explained, is what makes Skej feel less like a tool and more like a team member.

    The team is now exploring ways to connect Skej with CRMs and travel tools to handle even more tasks automatically. “With Skej, your assistant doesn’t just book meetings. It adapts to how you work,” said Paul.

    AI Note-Taking’s CRM Dual Identity

    Meetings can be the bane of some companies’ existence, but Fireflies.ai is offering a better way. The tool averages a 95% transcription accuracy, providing immediate summaries. Ultimately, it turns each call into a searchable knowledge base. The best part? Clients praise the brand for its affordability, with the claim that the service costs one-tenth as much as competing offerings. 

    Krish Ramineni, Fireflies CEO and co-founder, said the product quickly became more than a note-taker for many users. “People started using it as a second brain,” he said. “They’d go back to it instead of their CRM because every conversation, every client exchange, was already stored and searchable.” He noted that this shift has been especially helpful for consultants and recruiters, where words themselves are deliverables.

    “It’s about building a searchable memory,” Ramineni added. “Fireflies turns every conversation into a resource.”

    Many agencies like Hollywood Branded have centered their operations around Fireflies, recording hundreds of calls weekly. 

    Stacy Jones, CEO of Hollywood Branded, said Fireflies is fully embedded into their workflow. “Every single call gets recorded, unless it’s confidential. Then it’s pushed into HubSpot and our own proprietary system,” she said. “It helps us break down projects, create proposals, and manage follow-ups without needing another admin layer.” For a high-volume agency like theirs, she says, it’s more than a tool, and has become part of the infrastructure. “It’s the single biggest efficiency boost we’ve had in years,” said Jones.

    AI

    Increasing Sales with AI

    AI is helping sales teams answer the age-old question: how can you increase sales without adding new staff members and the salaries that come with them? Apollo.io has an answer with AI-driven lead research and messaging tools that can increase booked meetings by 42% and expand outreach performance by 35%.

    Paula Urrutia, Apollo’s Director of Sales, says, “Focus on the low-hanging fruit to eliminate administrative burden so teams can focus on what they do best.” 

    Urrutia explains that Apollo’s real strength lies in its ability to remove guesswork. “We’re constantly refining our models so small teams can outperform much larger ones,” she said. “It’s not just about having the data. It’s about using it at the right time, with the right context.” She added that personalization at scale is no longer a luxury, it’s the new baseline for effective outreach. “If you give small businesses the right data and timing, they don’t need a huge sales team,” Urrutia emphasized.

    The brand’s upcoming ApolloNEXT event offers additional insight into the way AI can reshape sales strategies. 

    Using Niche AI Models to Simplify Complexity

    Sure, plenty of AI tools look to provide general solutions, but Revscale AI functions by building industry-specific agents geared toward B2B businesses, franchises, and brands with multiple locations. With customized small language models, lead generation, customer acquisition, and operations that run 24/7, it’s not necessary to have a tech background. 

    Revscale offers a “service as software” model that makes using it easy. Unnat Bak, the company’s founder, pointed out that Revscale’s agents are being adopted by agencies that need extra hands without adding headcount. “We’re seeing agencies white-label our AI agents to handle both internal tasks and client work,” he said. The company is even piloting a voice-first version of the product, so business owners can simply call their agent, ask a question, and get real-time answers without ever logging in.

    Businesses can engage with the platform through natural language without dealing with malfunctioning dashboards.

    AI Can Simplify Legal Help

    Entrepreneurs tend to be business-savvy, not law experts. However, LegalZoom offers AI-powered tools that provide services like tracking 90,000 licensing jurisdictions to unpacking the meaning of legal documents with DocAssist. These features are built to lessen risks and save time. 

    Whether it’s NAICS code generation or AI name suggestions, LegalZoom mashes up machine efficiency with human oversight. 

    Erica Gartsbeyn, Vice President of Product Management & Business Operations at LegalZoom, shared that the company is focused on removing friction in every legal interaction. “We’re using AI not just to handle documents, but to anticipate what people need next. It’s like having a legal co-pilot that works behind the scenes so entrepreneurs can focus on building their business,” she said. The team is also exploring more integrations that make it even easier for non-lawyers to stay compliant without having to research every step.

    “When the legal process becomes less intimidating, entrepreneurs are more likely to move forward,” said Gartsbeyn.

    In addition, the brand’s partnership with Perplexity AI provides exclusive discounts for users seeking legal advice. 

    AI 2

    A Smarter Way to Manage Marketplace Listings

    Given that BizBuySell claims to be the largest online marketplace for small business sales, the company is using generative AI to assist users in creating intriguing listings. These AI tools help sellers tweak descriptions so buyers can find the best-fitting opportunities quickly. BizBuySell’s president Bob House noted that AI is expected to “drive entirely new operational models for small businesses.” 

    According to House, the company is seeing strong early adoption of its generative AI tools, especially for writing listings. “We’re helping sellers create clearer, more compelling descriptions in less time,” he explained. That’s a big win for busy owners who aren’t professional marketers but want their listings to stand out. House added that the real value isn’t just speed, but also the confidence sellers gain when the platform helps them communicate their business story more effectively.

    “Early feedback has been incredibly positive,” House said. “Sellers feel more equipped to market their business, and that’s a big step forward.”

    Bridging the AI Gap for Everyday Entrepreneurs

    One of the most accessible tools for small business owners dipping their toes into AI is Verizon’s Business Assistant. Designed to help entrepreneurs automate customer interactions and capture new leads, it acts like a virtual receptionist that never sleeps. From handling incoming calls to freeing up precious hours in the day, it’s a practical entry point for business owners who want real results without a steep learning curve.

    Chris Shank, Vice President of Small Business Sales at Verizon, said this kind of AI can help small businesses punch above their weight. “The more familiar they become, the more they start to see AI as something that allows them to amplify their reach without proportionally increasing their spend,” he shared. That mindset shift, he added, is one of the most important factors in long-term adoption.

    “They’re starting to see AI not just as a tool, but as a competitive edge,” Shank said. “And that’s when real transformation starts.”

    Start Small, Scale Smart

    AI isn’t about doing everything at once. It’s about finding the first task you can offload, and doing it well. Whether it’s writing sales emails, managing a packed calendar, or following up after meetings, these tools help you reclaim time and sharpen your focus. The best part is that you don’t need to be a tech expert to get started.

    Every hour saved is an opportunity to grow, create, or simply breathe a little easier. For small business owners, that’s life-changing.

  • How the Best AI Tools for Small Business Endeavors Can Prompt Growth

    How the Best AI Tools for Small Business Endeavors Can Prompt Growth

    Image credit: Unsplash

    When it comes to building a business, laying out the blueprints to get the gears turning behind the scenes often seems much more complicated than it needs to be. As society increasingly accepts and adopts the numerous innovations of the digital age, various professional sectors have an opportunity to benefit from technological offerings.

    Sitting at the top of the long list of advancements, artificial intelligence (AI) remains one of the most prominent. Previously perceived as too intricate and expensive, novel AI developments could empower compact crews in achieving tasks that once required expansive departments. 

    With AI’s swift shift from a niche, internet-based creation to a necessary resource for small businesses, company owners can boost their ventures in nearly every field, including data processing, hiring, and marketing.

    Leveraging AI in Lead Generation and Client Engagement

    Following the business industry’s transition into progressive digitization, many startups and small organizations are considering turning to automation tools to manage relationships and interactions with customers, while also enhancing lead generation.

    Solutions like Make.com or chatbotbuilder.ai enable growing companies to simplify and refine tedious tasks, including initial correspondence, follow-ups, and lead qualification, with fixed staff.

    One organization benefiting from the advancement is Inkyma, an AI consulting agency that once operated as a marketing firm. Upon adopting AI into its internal operations, the business “saw a 60% decrease in workload and costs.” 

    Audrey Kerchner, the company’s founder, also noted that the transformation enabled the team to “pivot into helping others do the same.”

    Smart Recruitment Processes With AI

    While customer relationship management (CRM) and lead generation represent one area benefiting from AI, many businesses in the talent acquisition industry are also pondering the innovation’s potential advantages. Recruiting remains a significant obstacle for small companies looking for meaningful growth. The hiring process becomes increasingly aggravating when resources are limited.

    AI-powered platforms like Workcraft aim to combat this conundrum by screening applicants based on each one’s authentic capabilities, rather than reviewing candidates who overuse technical jargon in their resumes as compensation for skills they may lack.

    Sharing how the smart hiring business’s system examines real experience instead of focusing on a completed application’s keyword usage, Workcraft founder Janet Paul believes it’s critical for the team to “look at what [candidates] actually did” at their previous job. She poses the integral query that all recruiters consider when evaluating an applicant’s background: “Does that align with our criteria?”

    Modernizing Document Processing and Operations

    For small businesses regularly handling data-heavy duties, certain AI tools can enhance document processing and operational efficiency. Companies like Parseur relied on manual data extraction before integrating an AI-driven document parser into their practices.

    Striving to guarantee that each user’s information is consistently managed with top-level security and care, the organization aims to set a new benchmark for data privacy in a progressively complex era of business processing and operations. 

    With an AI document processor, law, real estate, and other industries may find the automation to be extremely useful. Processing tasks like inquiries or contracts can save human employees hours each week.

    Parseur’s co-founder Sylvestre Dupont states that businesses should “treat AI as a groundbreaking technology” similarly to how society views “the internet or electricity revolutions.”

    Parseur is fully compliant with major data protection regulations, including California CCPA, EU GDPR, Singapore PDPA, Swiss FADP, and UK GDPR.

    Teaching and Treating AI as a Business Team Member

    While some entrepreneurial experts showcase concerns about AI’s development, companies like Hello Alice demonstrate how the technology can be a team player. 

    Carolyn Rodz, co-founder of Hello Alice, perceives training AI through a unique lens: “If you could wave your magic wand and bring in the most intelligent talent to sit next to you and help you solve a problem, what would you be asking it?”

    Serving as a platform that supports more than 1.5 million small businesses, the digital program envisions AI as an authentically onboarded and talented employee rather than an adopted technological product.

    Embracing AI Innovation in Legal and Creator Spaces

    For industries led by both legality and creativity, implementing AI into a company’s daily operations may seem daunting on the surface. At The Vision Catalyst, founder and owner Sara Celotto witnesses how distinguished sectors adopt the novel innovation. Lawyers, who were once skeptical of AI’s offerings due to concerns of confidentiality, now view the technology as essential.

    Conversely, content creators have taken a liking to AI integration, specifically in video production and CRM automation. Celotto bears in mind that “it’s getting harder and harder to get away from AI,” observing that “it’s integrated in every platform you’re probably paying for.”

    A Future Where AI Supports Small Business Growth 

    From recruiting and document operations to customer service and marketing, AI boasts the potential to be more than just an inconsequential resource. Cementing its success through the testimonials of early adopters, AI saves time and costs, making it an ideal virtual assistant for a boosted strategic edge.

    Looking ahead, these intelligent tools could deliver the accelerated business acumen needed for small companies to compete against larger enterprises soon.