Preparing Your SME for AI

"Preparing Your Business for AI: A Practical Guide for Small to Medium Enterprise" is a concise, accessible guide for SME owners and small-business managers approaching AI for the first time. It covers the preparatory steps an organisation should have in place before evaluating any AI tool or committing to any initiative. The guide is structured around five steps. The first establishes an AI policy covering confidentiality, accuracy, consistency, and accountability. The second addresses staff training, with guidance on practical delivery formats and the specific knowledge employees need to use AI responsibly. The third covers data readiness, including a five-question audit designed to reveal what data the organisation actually has to work with and what legal constraints apply. The fourth focuses on setting clear, measurable objectives and constraints before any tool evaluation begins. The fifth assigns named ownership of the AI governance agenda within the business. Each step is written in plain language with no technical prerequisites. The guide is shorter and more immediately accessible than the companion Business Leaders edition and is designed to be read in a single sitting. A closing summary links all five steps to the AI Road Test Framework for subsequent use.