The overwhelming majority of small and medium-sized (SME) businesses in Scotland are prioritising AI as a means of raising productivity levels, according to a new survey.
New data shows that 88 per cent of firms think AI can lift productivity levels with 90 per cent planning to invest in the technology.
The company leaders research, conducted by ClearSky Logic, the Edinburgh-based software house, found 57 per cent of firms have already invested in AI, with only 20 per cent trialling the technology before implementation.
IT systems (36 per cent), admin (29 per cent), and sales and marketing (21 per cent) are the main areas being targeted with AI by SMEs in order to achieve productivity gains.
Other findings from the survey included that 70 per cent of SMEs don’t believe AI will lead to layoffs. However, that runs contrary to a World Economic Forum future of jobs report last month, which showed that 41 per cent of employers intend to downsize their workforce as AI automates certain tasks.
Darren Auld, ClearSky Logic’s CEO, said: “Some may be surprised that just over half of Scottish SMEs have invested in AI, but there is also an overwhelming appetite for investing in AI borne out from the survey.”
“We know AI is rapidly becoming the great enabler for businesses who have the ambition to innovate, scale, and outpace their competition, and that it has never been more accessible than it is today. As we say at ClearSky, the question is no longer ‘if’ AI should be part of your corporate strategy, but ‘how’.”
Ed Vickers, co-founder of Edinburgh-headquartered marketing firm LOOP Agencies, with a client base that includes Standard Life, Aberdeen, and Royal London, said: “The fear that AI will replace jobs is changing to ‘AI won’t take my job, but someone who knows how to will’. In marketing we’re seeing a shift towards it being an integral tool to enable people to do their jobs better. The fear of being replaced has changed to the worry of being left behind.”
Aakanksha Sadekar, CEO and founder of Aberdeen-headquartered digital health technology startup Tracker.Health, which specialises in elderly care, said: “AI is being rapidly adopted into digital health solutions worldwide, we have been spending time out in Asia and are now working with commercial partners in Singapore, China, and Japan, so we’re seeing firsthand how Scotland must keep pace with the fast-moving evolution of AI.”
‘Special ops’ tech firm ClearSky Logic is increasingly advising its client base around AI, with the software delivery specialist doubling headcount across its Edinburgh and Glasgow offices in 2024.
Over 50 CEOs from fast-growth small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Scotland were surveyed by ClearSky Logic during January and February 2025.
Scotland’s productivity remains below the UK average, according to 2024’s CBI-Fraser of Allander Scottish Productivity Index. The findings show Scotland’s productivity trailed in 10 of the 13 productivity indicators for which comparable data is available with the rest of the UK. Scotland’s percentage of economic inactivity due to long-term sickness also remains the highest of all the four UK nations at 37.1 per cent.
Tracy Black, CBI chief strategy officer and devolved nations and regions ambassador, said at the time: “The CBI-Fraser of Allander Productivity Index shows a decrease in business R&D spending as a percentage of Scottish GDP. Scottish firms must look at how they can embrace productivity through innovation and technology. Our shortage of skills and an ageing population means businesses have to look at other options such as new technology and innovation to make processes more efficient and improve productivity.”
