From the AiBL team
It started with a complaint. An old friend with a 50-person shop, declared that the AI revolution is a game rigged against the little guy. All the attention and resources are aimed at the enterprise, with a model that favours incumbents.
Could that be right? We did some research to find out, and many of you reading this took part.
Businesses with fewer than 1,000 employees are keenly aware of the promise of AI/Agentic, but feel overwhelmed and under-supported. They’re being asked to take risks and invest without the clarity and confidence to place their bets.
The number one challenge isn’t cost or data…it’s uncertainty.
Two-thirds of scale-up and mid-market companies say that complexity and a lack of knowledge is their chief concern and over 60% admit that their organisation ‘lacks the knowledge and skills to effectively implement AI’.
And don’t get them started on the supplier ecosystem for AI/Agentic solutions - 86% call it ‘crowded and confusing’.
But these frustrations aren’t stopping smaller businesses. Over 80% believe AI/Agentic is a huge opportunity for their businesses and they’re taking action: from experimentation (45%) and process automation (27%) to true integration across multiple workflows (10%).
In this space between promise and risk, we founded AiBL to help ambitious scale-up and mid-market companies grow stronger and smarter with AI.
We asked what these businesses needed, and their answers - your answers - shaped our solution.
It comes down to practical advice. Theory and global trends are interesting, even strategic, but they don’t help shorten a customer’s response time or improve the site experience.
You said you want real playbooks for familiar operations, case studies from other businesses like yourselves, and a trusted environment to connect with others facing the same challenges.
That’s what we’re building - a media business of events and editorial that’s obsessed with being useful. Our job is to help reduce your risk by cutting through the noise with human-first, expert guidance, learning, and connections to peers and suppliers.
We’re also one of you – a growing business that’s putting AI/Agentic to work in every area. Some are making a difference, others not so much. We’ll learn together.
Please keep telling us what you need. Email me at [email protected]
Playbook of the week
Let’s sell more, faster.
It takes time to research prospects, handle objections and manage follow-ups.
Reps can spend significant portions of their day hunting for relevant information, and some of the best closers spend more time than the average...it’s one of the things that helps them stand out.
This week’s playbook looks at how AI can help speed the process and put salespeople in the position to (Alec Baldwin voice) always be closing.
The AI solution
There’s a rising generation of AI sales assistants that operate as consiglieres, listening and whispering critical information in real time.
Here’s what they provide:
Real-time, context-aware suggestions for instant objection handling, coaching tips, and relevant information pulled from synced documents and knowledge bases.
Automation of grunt work, identifying decision-makers, detecting intent signals (e.g. job postings, funding news), and prioritising accounts.
Integration with existing sales stacks, syncing with CRM systems like HubSpot and communication platforms such as (usually Slack) to avoid dashboard overload.
Guidance on next steps, creating dynamic playbooks that flag priorities and suggest actions based on real-time data.
Results (based on our analysis of several implementations)
~20-40% faster sales cycles because by automating research and lead qualification, reps could engage prospects more quickly.
In one case, tripled ROI within months from increased efficiency and higher close rates, though it depends on sales cycle and the type of sale
There was a dramatic increase in meetings booked. We know ‘dramatic’ isn’t a stat, but in some cases reps booked more meetings in a single day than they previously did in a week.
Improved ramp-up for new reps because real-time coaching helped new hires gain confidence and close deals faster.
The key business impact was not just the AI providing scripted responses but that it removed tedious tasks, allowing reps to focus on relationship-building and closing deals.
Lessons and Challenges
Some managers worry that new reps might become overly reliant on AI assistance, but others view the AI as ‘training wheels’ that support learning without replacing skill development. It’s all going to be in the implementation and oversight.
Since these assistants listen to calls and read screens, ensuring data security and compliance is critical. Transparency about data handling is necessary to build trust.
There is uncertainty about how real-time AI coaching affects sales management. It may simplify coaching by providing insights but could also change traditional oversight dynamics.
The early internet mantra still applies: integration is everything. AI assistants that are not well integrated with CRM and communication tools risk becoming distractions rather than productivity multipliers.
Tools to review
Mentions are not endorsements. This is a curated list generated by our tool-review agent.
Best Value: Folk (a sales assistant) and Parrot AI (voice generator) offer affordable pricing with straightforward features suitable for small to mid-sized teams.
Best for Analytics: Insight7 provides robust call analytics with a free entry-level plan, making it accessible for smaller businesses.
Best for Communication: Aircall combines a cloud-based phone system with integrated analytics, ideal for teams seeking to streamline communication.
Considerations: Cluely (AI assistant for meeting), Gong (AI revenue platform), and Chorus (AI conversation platform) offer advanced features like real-time advice, but may be complex and costly for smaller teams.
Our Advice
1. Choose AI assistants that seamlessly connect with your existing CRM and communication platforms to avoid workflow disruptions and maximise adoption.
2. Before deploying AI tools that monitor calls and screens, ensure they meet your organisation's data privacy standards to protect sensitive information.
3. Position AI assistants as supportive tools that accelerate learning and reduce grunt work, rather than crutches that create dependency.
4. Leverage both live AI coaching and post-call analysis tools to enhance sales performance and coaching effectiveness holistically.
The latest in the AI arms race for mid-market leaders
1. SME Founders Are Using AI for Strategic Advice: More than half of UK SME owners now use AI tools to inform decisions on finance, marketing and operations. That’s a quiet shift towards agentic AI - systems that advise, not just automate. It shows that AI as a “thinking partner” is moving from concept to habit.
2. Bank of England warns of an AI correction: The Bank warned that markets are pricing AI as if it can’t fail. If that turns, capital will dry up fast. Expect a shift from “growth at all costs” to “proof or pause.” For mid-market leaders, now’s the time to prioritise use cases with tangible payback.
3. Google Maps Out AI’s Potential for Small Business: Google’s new research suggests UK SMEs could unlock a £198 billion uplift through AI-powered growth, with leaders expecting up to 30% revenue gains. Ambitious, yes – but it’s a reminder that value only follows when firms turn data and experimentation into real process change.
4. Europe’s ‘Apply AI’ strategy: independence over imitation: The EU’s new plan aims to cut reliance on US and Chinese AI ecosystems by funding domestic infrastructure and research. Expect grants, incentives and pilot funding for practical AI adoption, especially in regulated sectors. UK firms should stay close; access may extend through partnerships or Horizon-style frameworks.
5. ChatGPT plugs into Spotify and Zillow: assistants go ambient: The death of apps as we know them. ChatGPT can now connect to third-party apps, pushing closer to an always-on, multi-tool workspace. Businesses that weave AI into existing tools e.g. CRMs, ERPs, communication platforms will move faster than those chasing standalone AI products.
Latest research
Thinc, 2025
UK mid-market outperforms expectations but skills gaps and supply chain disruption persist (September 2025)
UK mid-sized businesses are reporting stronger-than-expected performance in 2025, fuelled by greater access to finance, AI adoption and resilient customer demand, according to the latest Economic Engine research from accounting and business advisory firm, BDO.
Despite their strong performance, businesses’ confidence in the UK as a place to grow remains limited. Just 35% of mid-sized companies surveyed describe the UK as a “strong environment” for long-term business growth, while 65% say conditions have become more challenging. One in five (20%) are already shifting operations or investment overseas.
That caution reflects persistent structural pressures. On workforce issues, over a third (36%) cite plugging skills gaps as their biggest challenge. Rising wage expectations are another major pressure (24%), likely reflecting the ongoing effects of inflation and higher National Insurance contributions.
Operationally, managing supply chain disruption is the most pressing barrier to growth (32%). At the same time, while AI is seen as a driver of productivity, one in four firms (23%) cite adopting new technologies as a challenge, highlighting the uneven pace of digital transformation across the mid-market.
Read the full study here.
Product spotlight of the week
We’ve been using Gamma.app every day to create presentations, documents and social media content. We love the scrollable, responsive format and the ability to set design templates and transform text into design. It frees us from the dreaded slide fiddling we all suffer from.
Create your template (or use an existing one) and upload your document and you’re off. It doesn’t require design experience (happily for us), collaboration is easy and everything it produces in natively mobile friendly.
Quote of the week
“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is to act with yesterday’s logic.”
Change is constant, but progress takes intent. The real risk isn’t AI or market turbulence, it’s running today’s business with yesterday’s playbook.
Interested in joining our advisory board?
We’re looking for an advisory board, a select group of business, policy and tech leaders looking to help shape how mid-market firms adopt AI responsibly and profitably.
The board meets three times a year to keep our insights grounded in real business priorities and market needs.
If you’re leading AI adoption inside a growth or mid-market firm and want to help steer the conversation, reach out to [email protected]