Struggling Costs and Required Skills Continue to Plague Small-Scale Businesses in AI Adoption
In an effort to make AI more accessible for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), organizations like The Foundation and Akamai Technologies are taking several initiatives. These initiatives aim to help more MSMEs join the AI revolution, addressing the challenges faced by many businesses in terms of cost and digital skills.
According to a June 2025 study, 59% of MSMEs face challenges with the cost and digital skills needed for AI. Recognizing this, these organizations are providing affordable, easy-to-use, and scalable AI tools, as well as digital skills training and mentoring to overcome complexity and skill gaps.
One key initiative is the provision of subsidized digital tools and grants. Programs like the SME Digitalisation Grant and initiatives such as Mdec’s Go Digital (Malaysia) are facilitating MSMEs’ adoption of AI and digital technologies by offering financial support and access to affordable and intuitive solutions.
Mentorship and human-centric training are also emphasized. Recognizing that technology adoption is limited by a lack of guidance and digital know-how, these organizations emphasize mentorship, peer learning, and accessible training programs that are not overly technical but build entrepreneurs’ confidence and decision-making ability.
Upskilling and AI literacy programs are another important aspect. To address the digital skills shortage, initiatives provide AI literacy courses for MSME owners and staff, sometimes through government-backed platforms, helping them acquire the expertise necessary to implement and operate AI tools effectively.
Experts advise MSMEs to begin their AI journey by identifying specific pain points such as repetitive tasks or cost-saving opportunities, then adopt easy-to-use AI tools aligned with their business goals, making AI adoption practical and impactful.
AI-powered automation of complex financial tasks, customer onboarding, and data processing helps MSMEs reduce manual efforts and operational costs, enabling owners to concentrate on strategic growth activities.
While the search results do not specify direct programs by "the Foundation" or Akamai Technologies, these initiatives exemplify the kind of support ecosystem and technological enablement necessary for MSMEs to overcome cost and digital skills challenges in AI adoption. Akamai Technologies, for example, has previously engaged in providing cloud and edge computing solutions that can support smaller enterprises digitally, although explicit AI accessibility programs were not detailed in the given results.
In summary, these organizations focus on combining affordable AI tools, financial grants, human-centered training, and strategic deployment guidance to empower MSMEs to leverage AI despite cost and skills barriers. This is a significant step towards making AI more accessible and beneficial for small businesses.
The Foundation and Akamai Technologies are providing affordable, easy-to-use, and scalable AI tools for small-businesses, acknowledging the challenges faced by Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in terms of cost and digital skills. One key initiative includes the provision of subsidized digital tools and grants, such as the SME Digitalisation Grant and Mdec’s Go Digital (Malaysia), to facilitate MSMEs' adoption of AI and digital technologies. Upskilling and AI literacy programs, like government-backed platforms offering AI literacy courses for MSME owners and staff, are another important aspect to address the digital skills shortage. Through these steps, these organizations aim to make AI more accessible and beneficial for small-businesses.
