Thomas Jeng says it is time for small business owners to take a fresh look at AI and how it can improve their business.

Jeng, who works with startups, founders and investors across Asia-Pacific at OpenAI, gave a front-row view of how smaller businesses are already using AI in practical ways, and where many others are being left behind.

His view from the frontline is that the smartest business owners are using AI to transform how they do business.

“The most effective small businesses are using AI less like a novelty and more like an operating layer across the business,” Jeng says.

Jeng says that means weaving AI into jobs that already need doing. He says businesses are using it to speed up software development, support customers, create content, summarise and analyse information, and automate workflows that used to be manual.

Start with a task that you hate

Rather than trying to overhaul everything at once, Jeng says the businesses doing it well refine their focus.

“Operators I’ve seen do this well start with one high-friction workflow, one repeated task, or one bottleneck that costs time every week. They go deep there first, measure the result, and then expand.”

Tasks that could be transformed include quote processes, handling common customer enquiries, writing social posts, turning meeting notes into actions or pulling together research before a sales call.

With so many small business owners already feeling stretched thin, the thought of learning how to use AI can seem overwhelming, but Jeng says there is no need to launch into a grand AI plan.

“Start with one task you do all the time that is repetitive, time-consuming, and not the best use of your energy.”

“Don’t begin with a big transformation program. Pick one workflow, get a win, and build confidence from there.”

It is advice many small business owners will appreciate. Solve one annoying problem first, then decide what comes next.

Growth trajectory for AI adopters

Jeng says early adopters are already seeing wins.

“They are seeing gains and there’s a real sense that we’re at an inflection point, where AI is no longer just a tool for experimentation, but something that’s becoming deeply embedded in how companies operate and build.”

He says teams are moving from idea to execution faster than they could even a year or two ago.

“With tools like Codex, the barrier to entry has dropped significantly, and we’re seeing founders build products and companies at a pace that simply wasn’t possible even a year or two ago.”

For small businesses, that could mean testing new offers faster, improving systems sooner and getting more done without adding headcount straight away.

The AI gap

Jeng also warns a gap is opening between owners who are learning how to use these tools and those still treating AI as a novelty.

“In practical terms, the AI capability gap is the difference between what today’s tools can do and what most businesses or consumers are actually using them for.”

“A lot of people are still using AI as a chatbot for quick answers or drafting help, while more advanced users are using reasoning, coding and agentic workflows to complete bigger pieces of work.”

His advice is to make time for experimentation.

“Investing in AI learning and giving your team the time and resources to experiment and get hands-on with this technology is key to driving deeper adoption and ultimately richer ROI.”

OpenAI’s Aussie expansion

There is also good news for Australian founders and operators. Since opening an office in Sydney, OpenAI has been working more closely with local partners.

“It means we can work side by side with founders, developers, customers and partners in-market.

“That makes a real difference. Companies don’t just need access to the technology. They need practical guidance on how to apply it.”

Jeng says OpenAI has already supported Australian startups with more than AUD $1.6 million worth of credits and expects to see more local businesses building globally competitive products from day one.

Try one thing

For owners who have not touched AI yet, he suggests starting this week with one task you already do.

“Take one piece of work you personally do every week, something like preparing a customer email, turning meeting notes into actions, drafting a proposal, summarising a long document, or analysing a spreadsheet, and use AI to help you do the first 80 per cent.”

Asked to look to the future of AI, Jeng says there are two areas where he sees huge opportunities: autonomous agents and voice.

“The first is around systems that can actually take action on behalf of users. Not just generating content, but completing tasks, orchestrating workflows, and driving outcomes. This is changing how people think about software entirely.

“The second is voice, particularly voice-to-voice interfaces that make interacting with technology feel much more natural and intuitive. This opens up entirely new categories of products and experiences.”

For the most part, though, Jeng wants to remind business owners Ai doenst have to be all or nothing.

“Don’t worry about doing something sophisticated on day one. The goal is to build familiarity with the technology and see where it can save precious time.”

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