TechnologyMYOBPrint articleMay 13, 2026 – 8.55amThe quarterly rhythm of compliance for SMEs is familiar. A reminder arrives, a list of transactions needs to be reconciled, and details that made sense weeks ago are wrenched out of brains and reconstructed under time pressure.It is this kind of work – repetitive, time consuming and unavoidable – that is quietly driving the adoption of artificial intelligence across small and medium businesses.AI is reducing admin workload and reshaping how small businesses operate. iStockAcross Australia, millions of businesses complete regular reporting tasks such as business activity statements (BAS), payroll obligations and financial reconciliation. While software has digitised much of this work, it has not completely eliminated the effort involved. For many business owners, compliance admin remains a source of friction.“Small business owners are experts in their own fields, but not necessarily on the administrative or compliance requirements,” says Paul Robson, chief executive of MYOB. “It can be inefficient and frustrating, and many small business owners don’t have the time, expertise or inclination to explore additional AI tools or software to help reduce their admin load.”That pressure tends to surface at reporting time, when accumulated transactions need to be reconciled and explained.AdvertisementThis cyclical model shapes how many SMEs experience compliance – reactive, time-bound and disconnected from the day-to-day activity that generates the underlying data. Artificial intelligence is beginning to change that by shifting compliance from a periodic task to a continuous process embedded within the workflow itself.Paul Robson, chief executive of MYOB. “One of the big things that we’re doing is making it an always-on function,” Robson says. “As the software needs information out of your head, it asks you for it.”In practice, that means tasks such as BAS preparation can move from a periodic exercise to something built in the background as transactions occur. Instead of reconstructing information after the fact, systems can prompt for input at the point of activity.MYOB’s AI BAS support agent is one example of how this approach is being applied, taking transaction data and user inputs to prepare a position that is ready for review by the end of a reporting period. Similar principles are being applied across other administrative workflows within MYOB, including reconciliation and invoice management, where automation can reduce the need for manual intervention.“We’re not just eliminating frustrating, admin-heavy work, we’re redefining how small businesses run,” Robson says. “When you put AI to work on compliance admin and routine tasks, the business owner feels the effect immediately, driving impact and confidence.”The appeal is straightforward. Unlike broader AI applications that may require changes to processes or behaviour, use cases that focus on reducing administrative burden address existing pain points.According to MYOB’s Bi-Annual Business Monitor, 46 per cent of SMEs are not currently using AI tools and do not intend to in the coming 12 months, suggesting significant headroom for growth. Where adoption does occur, it is often concentrated in areas where the value is clear and the workflow is well defined.It also points to a practical issue – integration. Many SMEs operate with a combination of different software systems. Introducing standalone AI tools can add complexity if they do not align with existing processes. Embedding AI within core systems, by contrast, allows it to operate across the full lifecycle of a task.“To create real value, AI needs to be deeply embedded in the product and the way a business operates, shaping decisions, anticipating needs and doing the heavy lifting in the background so business owners can focus on higher value work,” says Robson.This is pushing providers to build end-to-end workflows. Rather than isolated features, the emphasis is on extending workflows from start to finish, utilising the same underlying data to support multiple stages of activity.For SMEs, the practical impact is less about the underlying technology and more about how it is delivered, particularly in areas such as cashflow and day-to-day financial management. Tools that operate within existing systems and respond to real-world tasks are more likely to be adopted than those that require businesses to change how they work.Robson says the impact extends beyond compliance admin itself.“The number one reason for small business failure in the Australian New Zealand market is cashflow,” he says.Reducing the time spent on administrative work and improving the flow of financial information through the business is part of what makes these tools more immediately useful to smaller operators.For policymakers and industry bodies, that shift is not about the technology itself, but what it frees up.Lee Hickin, executive director of the National AI Centre, says the first benefits tend to be practical.“For many small businesses, the earliest value from AI is straightforward,” Hickin says. “When routine administrative and compliance tasks take less time, individuals can redirect that time into work that strengthens the business and drives growth and productivity.”That dynamic helps explain why administrative workflows are emerging as a practical starting point for adoption. Tasks such as record keeping, reporting and BAS preparation are rules-based, repeatable and central to daily operations – conditions where AI can be applied with relatively low risk and immediate benefit.Lee Hickin, executive director of the National AI Centre. “AI works best when it fits naturally into the workflows people already use,” Hickin says. “When it helps simplify tasks like record keeping, reporting or BAS preparation, it becomes more practical and more likely to stick.”The challenge, however, is not just technical. Broader adoption across the SME sector continues to be shaped by skills gaps, cost pressures and confidence.Data from the National AI Centre’s AI Adoption Tracker shows uptake is increasing, but many businesses remain cautious, particularly where use cases are unclear or integration with existing systems is uncertain. Smaller and regional businesses, in particular, often face lower awareness and capability.That is where practical guidance and embedded tools are likely to play a role. Businesses that can start with familiar workflows, see measurable time savings and build confidence through use are more likely to extend AI into other parts of their operations.At a broader level, the implications extend beyond individual firms. MYOB analysed anonymised and aggregated data from hundreds of thousands of SMEs and found those using AI products and features are growing 2.8 times faster than those that are not.For SMEs, the immediate impact is simple. Less time spent on repetitive tasks means more time for customers, staff and decision-making. Over time, that shift may become one of the more tangible ways artificial intelligence contributes to productivity across the economy.To find out more, please visit MYOB.Sponsored by MYOBThis content has been funded by an advertiser and written by the Nine commercial editorial team.SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy linkCopiedEmailLinkedInTwitterFacebookCopy linkCopiedShare via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? LoginLicense articleFollow the topics, people and companies that matter to you.Find out moreRead MoreMYOBFetching latest articles