When IBM launched the personal computer in 1981, it changed how businesses worked. Apple followed with the Macintosh and made computers easier to use. Microsoft Windows then brought computing to a much wider business audience.
Since then, we have gone through wave after wave of change: the internet, smartphones and cloud computing. Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace became part of everyday business. Traditionally, after each wave, things settled down. Businesses chose their systems, people learned how to use them and got on with the job.
AI is developing differently. A few years ago, when businesses talked about generative AI, they generally meant ChatGPT. Today we have Google’s Gemini, Microsoft’s Copilot and Anthropic’s Claude, alongside AI being built into more and more business software.
You will also see large companies announcing partnerships with one AI provider. That can give the impression that businesses need to choose a side. I don’t think that is how AI is developing, particularly for SMEs.
From what I see working with Irish SMEs, adoption is much more mixed. One person uses ChatGPT, someone else prefers Claude, Copilot appears because the business uses Microsoft 365, while a Google Workspace business may naturally start with Gemini.
But these boundaries are becoming blurred. Being a Microsoft 365 business doesn’t mean Gemini has nothing to offer. You might use Microsoft for email, documents and file storage but find Gemini better for certain research or general LLM work. Equally, a Google Workspace business might find ChatGPT or Claude better for particular tasks.
The different tools also have different strengths. These are changing all the time, but ChatGPT is a good general-purpose tool for research, analysis, data and developing ideas. Claude is often very good for longer documents, writing and detailed analysis. Gemini is strong for research and has the advantage of Google’s wider ecosystem. Copilot’s advantage is its integration with Microsoft 365, bringing AI closer to the emails, meetings, documents and spreadsheets people already use.
So, the decision isn’t necessarily ChatGPT or Claude or Gemini or Copilot. It can be a combination. If you are a Microsoft 365 user, Copilot has an obvious home. If you use Google Workspace and Gmail, Gemini has a similar natural fit. ChatGPT and Claude are different. They don’t necessarily need to be part of your core business platform. They can sit alongside it and be used where they deliver better results.
This is increasingly what I see SMEs doing: choosing the AI tool based on the job rather than simply the software platform they already have. The risk is that a small business can quickly end up using three or four AI tools without ever deciding to do so. That isn’t necessarily a problem, but businesses should know what tools people are using, what they are being used for and what information is being put into them.
Some SMEs introduce AI simply because it is AI and they feel they may be left behind if not getting AI systems in places. It’s always best to start with a business problem and see which tool, if any, helps solve it. And if your underlying processes are poor, information is stored across spreadsheets and paper, or staff are repeatedly entering the same information, AI isn’t necessarily the first thing to fix. Get the basics right first. There is support available. The Digital for Business programme through the Local Enterprise Offices can help businesses review their digital systems and identify opportunities. The Grow Digital Grant can support investment in appropriate software, while CeADAR, Ireland’s National Centre for AI, provides AI expertise and test-before-invest supports.
AI will continue to change. SMEs don’t need to predict which platform will win. Understand the problem, try the tools, use the one that works best for the job and put some basic controls around its use.
That approach worked when businesses first started putting computers on desks. It still works today.
About LeanBPI
LeanBPI specialises in assisting Irish SMEs in the integration of digital solutions to improve business efficiency. We help companies identify the correct software solutions, facilitate seamless integration, automate processes, and, when needed, develop bespoke solutions tailored to unique business challenges.
For further information visit www.leanbpi.ie or contact John O’Shanahan at johnoshanahan@leanbpi.ie, 087 7444887.
