AI Automation
- 8 min read
What are the types of AI (narrow vs general)?
You’ve heard the AI buzz. But what kind of 'intelligence' are we really dealing with? Here’s the difference between Narrow and General AI—and what that means for your business.
Let’s be real. You’ve got a business to run—and you’re already juggling more tabs than a Vegas blackjack table. So when someone says, “Hey, you should be using AI,” your first thought is probably something like, “Cool. Can it also do payroll, clean my inbox, and fix the CRM my intern accidentally nuked?”
The truth? AI can help. A lot. But not all platforms are created equal—and most of the ones you see on your Feed are either a) overpriced, b) overhyped, or c) built for big teams with engineers who dream in Python.
That's why we’re here. This post breaks down the top AI platforms for SMBs in 2025—which ones are actually worth plugging into your business (and which ones are just digital glitter).
Whether you’re a law firm trying to automate lead intake, a scrappy SaaS team drowning in follow-ups, or a marketing agency fed up with duct-taped tools that don’t talk to each other—read on. Let’s cut the BS and talk ROI.
If “AI” still feels like a buzzword your cousin Greg drops at Thanksgiving to sound smart, here’s the real deal: 90% of SMB teams are already using AI in some form, and 60% are actively leaning into generative AI tools for marketing and sales.
This isn’t about keeping up with Silicon Valley anymore. It’s about staying in business without burning your team out or working 16-hour days just to stay competitive.
Top use cases for successful SMB AI adoption?
Sound sexy? Let’s get into it.
If your support inbox is a battlefield and your one lonely rep is barely treading water, Tidio AI is your first hiring move (that doesn’t require onboarding or PTO).
What it does: It uses its chatbot brain (Lyro AI + GPT-4) to automatically handle up to 70% of routine customer inquiries. “Where’s my order?” “Do you ship to Canada?” Stuff like that? Handled.
Why you’ll care: Your human team can finally handle complex support tickets... instead of wasting their day copying the same reply from a Notion doc.
Bonus win: You’ll look like you have your act together—instant replies, no ghosting. Customers notice.
Pricing: Starts at $29/month with 50 AI conversations and a free 7-day trial. Come on. That’s cheaper than your Slack overages.
Built for SMBs and hungry startups, Glassix picks up where basic plug-and-play platforms quit. It’s your automated front desk, sales pipeline babysitter, and “shut up and handle it” system—all tied into one clean UI.
Key perks:
Best for: SMBs who secretly want Zendesk-level automation but with “just enough” bells and whistles.
Use this if you’re spending way too much time manually qualifying leads or answering the same five FAQs over and over.
Zapier’s been the king of automation forever—but in 2025, Zapier AI is officially... on some other sh\*t (in the best way).
Why it slaps now: Their new Copilot AI understands natural language, so you can literally type “create a workflow that sends a Slack message when a lead fills out my form” and it does the dang thing.
Other reasons to care:
If your team still copies CSVs from one tool to another manually, pause here and go cry a single tear. Then come back and implement Zapier AI.
If your dev team dreams in neural networks or you’re already living inside the Microsoft ecosystem, Azure AI might be your jam. Just know this one’s playing in the big leagues.
Highlights:
But here’s the tea: If your team doesn’t speak fluent JSON or have a roadmap for model-based AI integrations, Azure AI might be... a little much.
Still—if you’re building custom generative apps or AI-driven APIs, this platform’s a monster (in a good way).
Got Salesforce already? Perfect. Their AI tools feel like a team of interns who actually finish tasks on time.
What SMBs love:
Stat worth knowing: 90% of SMB teams using Salesforce have adopted some form of AI. That’s not a flex—it’s survival.
If you’re constantly chasing leads, overlapping outreach, or letting hot contacts go cold because nobody followed up on Tuesday, this one's a no-brainer.
This is your weapon of choice if:
This combo gives you full control over building, training, and deploying models. But unless you’ve got dev hours to burn, it’s not your launchpad—it’s your Phase 2.
For those investing in long-term AI capabilities? It’s unbeatable.
Here’s what actually matters when picking AI automation tools:
Don’t pick something just because your competitor’s bragging about it on LinkedIn. Pick the thing that removes your dumbest, most soul-sucking task, today.
We don’t just recommend tools—we build automation systems that integrate with your sales, marketing, admin, and support workflows.
Not in a generic “click-signup-go” kinda way. These are targeted, tested automation setups, designed specifically for lean teams, small ops, and founders who need things working yesterday.
Need a semi-custom AI setup for social media, sales follow-ups, or email drip campaigns? We do that too. No fluff. No hype. Just systems that un-break your business.
Book a free Workflow Optimization Session and we’ll look at what’s costing you time, money, or your last nerve—and map a smarter way forward.
Because your competitors aren't waiting around—and neither should you.
River Braun founder of Timebender, is an AI consultant and systems strategist with 10+ years of experience helping service businesses streamline operations and embrace automation.
Schedule a Timebender Workflow Audit today and get a custom roadmap to run leaner, grow faster, and finally get your weekends back.
book your Workflow optimization session
