## 2 AI's Benefits for Business and Peculiarities for SMEs  
According to the literature, efficiency, productivity, enhanced safety, innovation, and better-quality outputs are among the expected AI's benefits for businesses. Ref. [32] categorizes benefits into four groups: (1) growth and profits (expansion of commercial objectives and networks, scalability, productivity, and consequent profits); (2) performance, ease, and convenience (enhancements in performance, accuracy, speed, time, and cost savings); (3) safety (real-time monitoring, robotic assistance in dangerous occupational tasks); and (4) sustainability (optimal resource utilization; energy savings; transparency; equality). Most of the benefits of AI for business arise through the next four pillars, which can transform business operations and position them more solidly in the market, strengthening competitive advantages: automation, personalization of customer service, decision-making processes and predictive analytics, and rapid innovation [33]. The literature supports the benefits provided by AI that could be captured by large companies and SMEs [7]. In general terms, this is true. However, in practice, the nature of SMEs adds concerns and opportunities that are not present in MNEs. This section describes both. **(a) Automation of routine tasks**  
Automation of routine tasks is one of the most immediate and cost-effective applications of AI for SMEs. By automating repetitive activities such as inventory management, invoicing, customer service, and task scheduling, businesses can significantly reduce operational costs, minimize human error, and enhance overall efficiency. Automation also contributes to better accuracy, faster response times, and higher levels of customer satisfaction by ensuring timely service delivery. As ref. [34] explains, automation can augment production and efficiency by (a) the substitution of capital for labor, with the displacement of workers from the tasks that are being automated and (b) by the improvement of tandem worker-AI. Beyond basic tasks, AI also enables the automation of higher-order processes that traditionally relied on human judgment--particularly in data-intensive or knowledge-driven sectors. It is important to distinguish between two forms of automation: robotic process automation (RPA), which focuses on rule-based, repetitive tasks with low complexity and quick return on investment; and intelligent automation, which leverages AI to perform more complex, adaptive tasks. Automation further contributes to improved accuracy, faster response times, and higher levels of customer satisfaction by ensuring timely service delivery. For instance, on E-Commerce, ref. [35] finds that AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants have reduced customer response times by 40 percent and lowered operational costs by 20-30 percent while improving customer satisfaction. In healthcare, automation through AI is facilitating early diagnosis and monitoring, to improving overall patient access and quality and efficiency of care [36]. For SMEs, automatization creates both an opportunity and concerns. Ref. [37] signal opportunities in personalized customer service and tailored products and services to individual customer needs. Although the latter unlocks deeper value, it also introduces new challenges, such as the potential exclusion of employees from decision-making processes. Thus, it is necessary to streamline operations and has the responsibility of carefully managing the human implications of automation. For example, when machine learning is unsupervised and carried out in circumstances where intuitive and empathic intelligence prevails, it will be necessary (a) to look for solutions that mitigate the loss of human employment, and (b) to begin preparing human labor for tasks that machines cannot yet perform (high complexity and empathetic-emotional value) [38]. Brand perception, and long-term loyalty, are areas where human emotional intelligence is paramount.