Small Businesses Using AI Are Hiring More, Not Less, Intuit QuickBooks Report Finds

NewsData.io · United States · Jul 29, 2026

A 2026 AI Impact Report from Intuit QuickBooks, drawing on surveys of more than 34,000 SMBs and data from 5.3 million QuickBooks businesses, finds that U.S. small businesses using AI are four times more likely to report AI-driven hiring than cuts. Among AI-adopting businesses, 78% report improved productivity and 43% report revenue gains. The report also notes that one in three U.S. adults plans to start a business or side hustle in 2026, a 94% year-over-year jump — a potential signal of growing demand for staffing and HR services among emerging employer businesses.