ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES: PRODUCTIVITY, ADOPTION COSTS AND ORGANIZATIONAL CAPABILITIES

Abstract

The diffusion of artificial intelligence in recent years has reshaped how organizations process information, automate tasks and sustain competitive advantage, although its effects on small and medium-sized enterprises remain heterogeneous. This article analyzes the mechanisms through which artificial intelligence adoption influences the economic performance of small and medium-sized enterprises, considering productivity, costs, innovation and organizational barriers. The study follows a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive design, based on an integrative bibliographic and documentary review of studies published mostly between 2021 and 2026, complemented by data from Brazilian and international official bodies. The results indicate that artificial intelligence can expand productivity and operational efficiency among small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly through operational applications such as automation and data analysis, although these gains do not follow automatically from technology acquisition alone. The conversion of use into performance depends on the articulation of digital infrastructure, data quality, human competencies, organizational integration and governance. The findings also reveal persistent asymmetries between small firms and large corporations, both in access to financial and technical resources and in the outcomes obtained. The article concludes that claims of technological democratization through low-cost generative solutions should be treated with caution, since internal organizational capabilities remain a determining factor in the economic appropriation of artificial intelligence by Brazilian and international small and medium-sized enterprises.