Discover in 7 questions whether your SME can benefit from generative artificial intelligence.
AI isn’t a trend — it’s a powerful tool.Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. You hear about ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot… and you may be wondering: Does my business really need AI?
You’re not alone. Many small business owners and self-employed workers in Quebec are hesitant to integrate AI, whether out of fear of the unknown, lack of time, or doubts about its real usefulness.
The good news? You don’t need to be a technology expert to know if AI can be useful to you. You just need to ask yourself the right questions.
Here 7 seven simple questions, accompanied by concrete examples, to help you assess whether artificial intelligence could support your business right now.
AI becomes highly relevant when it helps reduce known irritants in your daily operations.
Some signs to look out for:
- Repetitive manual tasks (e.g., sorting emails, data entry)
- Excessive delays for certain steps (e.g., drafting proposals or reports)
- Frequent errors (e.g., oversights, copy-paste)
- Time wasted on low value-added tasks
Example:
A real estate appraisal firm in Sherbrooke spent nearly two hours a day rewriting property descriptions. Thanks to AI integrated into their templates, this task has been reduced to 30 minutes.
2. Could certain key functions be alleviated by AI?
Automating does not mean replacing. It frees up time for your team to focus on what really matters.
Functions often suited to automation:
- Marketing: writing emails, publications, product sheets
- Customer service: automated responses, knowledge base
- Human resources: sorting resumes, writing job offers, prequalification
- Finance: categorizing expenses, generating reports
3. Do you manage a high volume of data or content?
AI excels at processing and transforming large amounts of information.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Do you receive a lot of emails, requests, or reports?
- Do you regularly produce similar documents?
- Do you often have to summarize information for your clients or team?
Real-world example:
A communications agency in Quebec City uses Claude to summarize client documents and generate briefs for the creative team. The result: a time savings of approximately 40%.
4. Is your team overwhelmed… or underutilized?
AI can address both of these opposing situations:
- Is your team overwhelmed by repetitive tasks? → AI can automate them.
- Do your employees have untapped potential? → AI can free up their time.
Golden rule:
If your team spends more time producing than thinking, AI could become a strategic lever.
5. What are your business goals for the next 6 to 12 months?
Before implementing any technology, it’s important to be clear about its purpose. AI should support a clearly defined goal.
| Goal | AI possibilities |
|---|---|
| Reduce costs | For automating follow-ups or written content |
| Improve productivity | To generate responses or reports |
| Better serve customers | Conversational, request triage |
| Launch a new service | For content creation and market analysis |
6. Is your team open to technological change?
Adopting AI isn’t just about tools—it’s also about culture.
Questions to ask yourself:
- Are your employees curious or resistant to new things?
- Are they already using ChatGPT or Gemini in an unsupervised way?
- Would they need a little help (training, guidance, support)?
Here’s a hint:
If you notice the use of Shadow AI (discreet, unregulated use), it means there is a need for it. All that remains is to structure the approach.
7. Do you have the minimum resources needed to govern and oversee the use of AI?
No need for an IT department, but a minimum is required:
- Time to explore the tools
- Someone responsible for implementation
- A chart or usage policy
Some training resources
Good news:
Tools such as ChatGPT Team, Claude Pro, or Gemini with Google Workspace already offer secure environments suitable for small organizations.
Before moving on to the diagnostic, let’s see where you stand compared to other local businesses.
In Q2 2025, only 12.2% of Canadian companies were using AI to produce goods or deliver services.
In Quebec, 4 out of 10 SMEs are already exploring automation and nearly one in four considers it quite or very important to invest directly in AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot. Sources: Statistique Canada, CFIB
If you’re still hesitating, you’re far from alone… but it’s also the perfect time to start exploring
Is AI for you ?
Here is a quick checklist to assess your situation.
Result: 3 points or more? → It’s time to explore concrete solutions.
| Question | Answer | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Do you have repetitive tasks that are costing you time? | Yes / No | +1 AI |
| Is your team overwhelmed by administrative work? | Yes / No | +1 AI |
| Do you have a clear goal that AI can support? | Yes / No | +1 AI |
| Are your employees already using ChatGPT without any guidelines in place? | Yes / No | +1 AI |
| Am I ready to invest a few hours to test a solution? | Yes / No | +1 AI |
AI is not a trend: it is a powerful tool—provided you use it for the right reasons, with the right people, and for the right purposes. If you answered yes to several of the questions above, you don’t have to automate everything tomorrow morning.
But it’s in your best interest to start exploring, testing, supervising, and training.
Want to know where to start, which tools to choose, or how to train your team?
We offer a quick assessment of your AI potential, with practical solutions tailored to Quebec SMEs. Book your consultation today.
