The city’s SMBs are building a distinct edge through high AI adoption, strong talent priorities, and digital-first growth
Pune’s small and medium businesses (SMBs) are entering their most confident decade yet. New LinkedIn research finds that 92% of SMBs are already investing in or planning AI adoption, indicating how technology has moved from experiment to infrastructure. At the same time, around 91% of SMB decision-makers expect business growth in the next 12 months – signalling a sector rebuilding itself around smarter systems, skilled talent, and measurable digital impact.
For Pune’s SMBs, evolution is survival, not optional
Behind their confidence lies urgency. AI is no longer a buzzword, but the new baseline for growth. The research shows that 60% of SMBs prioritise adopting AI and automation for efficiency, and operational efficiency, while 49% are focused on digital transformation.
Kumaresh Pattabiraman, Country Manager, LinkedIn India said, “Pune has been an enduring powerhouse for entrepreneurial progress and its SMBs are carrying that legacy forward with decisive investments in AI and skilled talent. This is a city that scales with intent, choosing platforms that deliver trust, insights, and real ROI. Our focus at LinkedIn is to help accelerate this journey by offering the right network, the right clients, and the right talent, all in one place – so, every small business can operate with the confidence and capability of a large enterprise.”
AI becomes the new operating system for growth
Artificial Infrasructure has become the engine behind how SMB’s hire, market and grow. Nearly all surveyed businesses say they use or plan to use it to automate workflows (94%), strengthen analytics and business intelligence (96%), and streamline hiring, marketing, and sales (over 90%).
Hiring models are being rebuilt around capability, not credentials. SMBs now value digital literacy and AI fluency (67%), problem-solving (63%), and digital communication (50%). To find this talent, 63% already use AI hiring tools, citing better assessments and higher engagement.
Marketing and sales are also becoming increasingly intelligence-driven. Nearly 78% SMBs are using AI marketing tools, with 96% investing up to half their budgets in them. 78% now rely on AI in sales for sharper targeting and automated follow-ups, allowing them to operate with the sophistication of larger enterprises.
Rahul Karthikeyan, Chief Marketing Officer, Scaler said, “Scaler’s recent campaigns have seen strong performance through precise audience targeting and data-driven optimisation. Sponsored Content, especially vertical formats, delivered a 20% higher lead-to-payment conversion than static formats on other channels. In August alone, LinkedIn generated about 70–80 new payments with a return on spend (RoS) of 2.2. We plan to further scale this high-impact channel while maintaining cost-per-sale efficiency.”
Trust is the new competitive advantage
Even as they adopt AI at speed, Pune SMBs are discerning about where they place their trust. 95% say their decisions are guided less by cost and more by credibility. Their top considerations are security and data privacy (77%), seamless integration with existing systems (84%), and clear ROI (78%). Together, these shifts signal the rise of a smarter, more resilient SMB ecosystem – one that is not just adapting to the AI era but actively shaping it.
