How Businesses Are Using AI to Drive Growth
| 10 Min Read
Today, conversations about artificial intelligence (AI) applications in business are everywhere. AI’s potential to transform the way we do business sparks mixed emotions. Many are unsure what the future holds, but AI in business is already all around us. Leading companies use AI for business growth every day.
They improve efficiency, deliver top-notch customer service and expand into new markets. Building the skills to lead that kind of change is exactly what a program like the online Bachelor of Applied Science in General Business (BAS) from New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) is designed to do.
Understanding AI Components
To understand AI’s impact, first we must understand its components. Three technologies show up most often in business settings: machine learning, natural language processing and generative AI. Coursework like NMHU’s Integrated Business Applications class is built around applied technology training in exactly these areas, giving students hands-on exposure to the tools these three categories represent.
Machine Learning: Computers can learn from data and make recommendations without extensive human interaction. This capability improves efficiency and generates insights, and it can predict what clients need, whether that’s a product recommendation or a medical intervention.
Natural Language Processing: This technology allows computers to understand and generate language and can help provide customer service and develop quick answers to key business questions. Customers may encounter natural language processing when using chatbots or smart assistants, such as Siri and Alexa.
Generative AI: Generative AI can produce images, music, text or videos using material in large data sets, which is useful for content and idea generation. A well-known example of generative AI is ChatGPT, but many options exist.
The impact of the growing AI field cannot be overlooked. Grand View Research estimates the global AI market at $390.9 billion in 2025, growing to $539.5 billion in 2026. The firm projects the market will reach $3,497.3 billion by 2033, a compound annual growth rate of 30.6%.
How Does AI Help Businesses?
AI helps businesses in several concrete ways: it automates repetitive work, sharpens decision-making with real-time data and helps teams scale successful projects faster. According to McKinsey’s 2026 State of AI report, 44% of organizations now report that AI is scaling across their enterprise, up from 38% the year before. Thirty-seven percent of respondents attribute at least some earnings impact to their AI use.
Adoption still varies widely by company size. The U.S. Census Bureau found that 37% of firms with at least 250 employees report using AI. Fewer than 20% of firms with four or fewer employees do the same. AI use has grown mainly among larger firms rather than the smallest ones.
That gap is an opportunity: Small and mid-size businesses that build AI skills now can compete more directly with larger firms. Business programs like NMHU’s BAS in General Business are built to close exactly that kind of skills gap, giving leaders at smaller companies the technology fluency larger competitors are already building.
Forbes Advisor‘s most recent AI statistics report shows a similar climb among business owners. It finds that 72% of businesses have adopted AI for at least one business function. AI is expected to improve productivity and customer relationships for 64% of respondents. Nearly all business owners surveyed believe tools such as ChatGPT will benefit their operations.
Additional benefits of implementing AI tools in business include efficiency, personalization and forecasting gains that compound as adoption grows. Here’s what each looks like in practice:
Improved Efficiency: AI can analyze large volumes of data quickly, helping businesses gain and act on insights in real time. This lets teams catch trends and adjust course within days rather than waiting for a quarterly report.
Enhanced Personalization: AI can help businesses understand their consumers and tailor communication and experiences to their needs. That means more relevant marketing messages, product recommendations and support interactions, rather than one-size-fits-all outreach.
Analytical Forecasting: AI can assist business leaders when they’re determining where a business is heading and the viability of next steps and future endeavors. This kind of forecasting helps leaders test assumptions before committing budget or staff to a new initiative.
These are just a few ways AI helps gain market share efficiently and make calculated adjustments to drive growth. Adoption is climbing industry-wide, and the benefits compound for businesses that start building these capabilities now.
Are There Negative Implications of Using AI in Business?
Yes, AI in business carries real risks, from over-reliance on the technology to cybersecurity exposure and workforce concerns. According to Forbes Advisor, 43% of business owners worry about technology dependence. Another 35% are concerned they lack the technical skills to use AI well.
Organizations must remember that AI does not replace expert knowledge and creativity. Professionals must still understand their customer base and businesses to ensure success, judgment that coursework like NMHU’s Leadership Ethics class is designed to sharpen in future business leaders.
There are also significant cybersecurity implications. Because AI uses a lot of data, organizations must be careful that the data is secure, and that laws and ethical regulations are followed closely. Failure to protect sensitive data could result in legal action or damaging consequences for a business and its customers.
Even with all the advancements of recent years, AI is far from perfect. According to IBM, AI hallucinations occur when a system produces outputs that sound plausible but are factually wrong, irrelevant or fabricated, often because of flawed or incomplete training data. Relying too heavily on AI, while not fully understanding how to implement it effectively, could lead to unforeseen outcomes. Building basic AI literacy across a team, rather than treating AI output as automatically correct, is one of the more effective ways businesses can guard against this risk.
In addition to the above concerns, working with AI can be difficult for those who make a living through the work that AI enhances. According to Pew Research Center, 52% of workers say they are worried about AI’s future impact on their workplace. There are 32% who believe it will reduce their job opportunities over the long term, while only 6% expect it to create more opportunities for them.
There are a lot of unknowns about working with AI. Business professionals will have to be agile and open to new ways of doing things as we figure out what AI’s role will be in the future of organizations. Business leaders should ensure that employees know how to use AI capabilities effectively and encourage upskilling to avoid redundancies.
How Will AI Affect Jobs?
AI is changing day-to-day work more than it is eliminating jobs outright, and most workers still have limited hands-on exposure to it. Pew Research Center reports that 16% of U.S. workers currently use AI in their job in some capacity. Just 2% say most of their work is done with AI, and adoption is highest in banking, finance, real estate and information technology roles.
AI cannot replace human imagination and intelligence, but it can support it. It’s likely that AI will take on more everyday administrative tasks, allowing professionals to use their time for creative and complicated endeavors.
New careers in AI are already emerging because of the ways businesses are implementing the technology. The World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs Report lists AI and machine learning specialists among the fastest-growing roles worldwide, alongside related positions that blend technical and business skills. A general business foundation like the one built in NMHU’s BAS in General Business program, paired with a working knowledge of AI tools, is exactly the kind of background that positions graduates for these emerging roles.
As we look toward the future of AI in business, it’s important to develop an AI-skilled workforce and upskill current employees to understand how to use AI to improve their performance in their jobs. To prepare for AI in business and determine how to get a job in AI, professionals should proactively work to understand AI tools and the benefits and risks of implementing them.
Position Your Business for AI-driven Growth
AI is no longer a future consideration for business leaders. It is already a factor in efficiency, customer experience, hiring and risk management, and its influence across these areas is only growing. Companies that build real fluency in these tools, rather than treating AI as a passing trend, are the ones positioned to turn adoption into measurable growth.
Developing that fluency takes more than familiarity with a single AI tool. It requires the broader business foundation to apply AI strategically across marketing, operations and leadership decisions. NMHU’s online BAS in General Business is built around exactly that combination, pairing core business coursework with the applied technology training that AI-driven roles increasingly require.
Ready to lead AI-driven growth in your organization? Explore the online Bachelor of Applied Science in General Business at New Mexico Highlands University to see how the curriculum builds these skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
AI is reshaping business roles quickly, which raises practical questions for anyone weighing how to build relevant skills. Here are answers to some of the most common questions about working with AI in business and preparing for it through a business degree.
What skills do business professionals need to work effectively with AI?
Professionals need a working understanding of how machine learning, natural language processing and generative AI function, paired with core business skills such as data analysis, decision-making and communication. Deep technical expertise in building AI systems generally isn’t required for most business roles; knowing how to apply the tools strategically is what matters most.
Do I need a technical background to pursue a career in AI-driven business?
No. Most AI-related business roles blend general management or marketing expertise with applied technology training rather than requiring a computer science degree. A business foundation that includes courses in business analytics and technology applications, like those in NMHU’s BAS in General Business, can prepare graduates for these roles.
How is New Mexico Highlands University’s BAS in General Business structured?
The program pairs core business courses, such as Principles of Management and Leadership Ethics, with technology-focused electives like Integrated Business Applications and Business Analytics in Decision Making. It’s delivered fully online to accommodate working adults.
Can I complete this degree while working full time?
Yes. The program is designed for working adults and delivered asynchronously online, so students can complete coursework around their existing schedules.
Earn a Forward-looking Degree From New Mexico Highlands
New Mexico Highlands University’s online Bachelor of Applied Science in General Business is a great place to start if you need a solid foundation in business that also focuses on future trends and the skills that employees need to be competitive. The program is designed for working adults who want to build practical, transferable business skills without pausing their careers. Highlands University business courses use a hands-on learning approach featuring case studies and team projects to prepare you for the challenges of the global business world. That approach carries through upper-level coursework like Leadership Ethics.
Beyond core coursework, the program’s applied electives sharpen the technology and data skills employers increasingly expect from business graduates. Because the program accepts up to 30 transfer credits from prior technical or vocational coursework, many students complete the degree in as few as 21 months. Get started earning your business degree from New Mexico Highlands University today.