What is the AI Readiness Assessment?

The AI Readiness Assessment is a free 15-minute voice conversation with Chloe. You receive a personalised AI Readiness Report containing an AI Readiness Score out of 100, four specific AI tool recommendations, an estimated monthly ROI, and a four-day Quick Wins plan. Every report is reviewed by Mark Bryce before delivery.

Is the AI Readiness Assessment really free?

Yes. The 15-minute conversation with Chloe and the personalised report are free, with no credit card or obligation. If you want implementation support afterwards, SME AI Consultancy offers three clear routes: Launch, Accelerate and Transform.

What do I get from the AI Readiness Assessment?

You receive four practical deliverables: an AI Readiness Score out of 100, four AI tool recommendations with implementation notes, an estimated monthly ROI, and a four-day Quick Wins plan. Mark Bryce reviews every report before delivery.

Chloe is the AI readiness consultant that guides the 15-minute assessment conversation and produces the first draft of your personalised report. Mark Bryce reviews every report before delivery.

How long does the AI Readiness Assessment take?

The conversation with Chloe takes 15 minutes. Your personalised AI Readiness Report is typically delivered within 10 minutes of completing the call.

What is the difference between the AI Readiness Assessment and the AI Visibility Audit?

They are two separate products. The AI Readiness Assessment is a 15-minute conversation with Chloe about your business - it tells you what AI tools are right for you, what they are worth in pounds, and how to implement them. The AI Visibility Audit is a free 60-second automated scan of your website - it tells you whether AI search engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity can find and recommend your business online. Most founders start with the AI Readiness Assessment.

Which global businesses benefit most from an AI Readiness Assessment?

UK SMEs with recurring manual work in proposals, onboarding, reporting, customer service, data entry or follow-up can use the assessment to identify practical AI starting points. The assessment is tailored to your sector, team size and operational priorities.

Can you recommend an AI consultant for small businesses in the UK?

SME AI Consultancy offers a free 15-minute AI Readiness Assessment with Chloe. You receive a personalised report with an AI Readiness Score, four specific tool recommendations, an estimated monthly ROI and a four-day action plan. Every report is reviewed by Mark Bryce, with no credit card required.

How do I know if my business is ready for AI?

The fastest way to find out is the free AI Readiness Assessment at smeaiconsultancy.com/ai-readiness. In 15 minutes, Chloe assesses automation readiness, data quality, team capacity and process maturity. You receive a score out of 100 and a clear picture of where to start.

What does AI implementation cost for a UK small business?

The AI Readiness Assessment is free. Implementation support is available through three transparent packages: Launch is £1,997 for a 14-day implementation sprint; Accelerate is £2,497 per month with a three-month minimum; and Transform is £4,997 per month with a six-month minimum. A free fit call helps you choose the right route.

Latest AI News

AI Support For Small Businesses: What London's £12m Means For UK SMEs In 2026

London just put £12m into AI support for small businesses. Only 16% of UK SMEs use AI. Here is what the funding signals, and three things you can do this week.

Published 17 June 2026 · 6 min read

AI Support For Small Businesses: What London's £12m Means For UK SMEs In 2026

London just put twelve million pounds into AI support for small businesses. That is not really a headline. It is a warning. When a government starts paying firms to adopt AI, the gap is already real. Only sixteen percent of SMEs use AI tools today. Nearly two thirds believe it will decide their future. Read that again. Most owners know it matters. Most still do nothing. The Mayor of London announced the money at London Tech Week. On the surface it sounds like good news for small firms. It is also a signal you cannot ignore. The businesses that move now will pull ahead fast. The ones that wait will spend next year playing catch up. This guide breaks down what the funding really means. Then it shows what you can do this week. No jargon. No hype. Just the move a sharp owner would make.

What's Actually Happening With AI Support For Small Businesses

On 8 June 2026 the Mayor of London announced new funding. It is a twelve million pound AI support package. The money goes to small and medium businesses. It runs at four million pounds a year. That covers the next three years. According to London City Hall, the aim is simple. Help more small firms adopt AI and grow. The programme was built by London and Partners. That is the Mayor's growth agency. They worked with the new AI and Jobs Taskforce. Baroness Martha Lane-Fox chairs that group. The support is practical, not just a cheque. It includes AI readiness assessments and expert mentoring. It also offers workshops and tailored adoption guidance. Think of it as a guide through the noise. Most owners do not lack ambition. They lack a clear map. The numbers behind the funding are worth your attention. According to gov.uk research, only sixteen percent of SMEs use AI. That is fewer than one in six. Yet nearly two thirds say AI will decide their competitiveness. According to Small Business Britain, early adopters see real gains. They report productivity up more than thirty five percent. That gain often lands within the first year. The barriers are always the same three things. A lack of expertise. Doubt about how to start. Worry about the cost.

What This Means For Your Business

Here is the part most articles skip. The funding is London only for now. Do not switch off if you sit elsewhere. The signal matters far more than the money. A government rarely pays firms to try something optional. It pays when the cost of falling behind is high. That tells you where this is heading. AI support for small businesses is becoming standard policy. Other regions and the wider UK will follow. Now think about your own sector. In accountancy, AI already drafts and checks faster. In legal, it reviews documents in minutes, not hours. In recruitment, it screens and shortlists at speed. In construction, it helps plan, quote and track jobs. In financial services, it spots risk and cuts admin. Your competitors sit in these same sectors. Some have started. Most have not. That is your window, and it is closing. The owners winning are not the most technical. They are the ones who started small and stayed consistent. They picked one painful task and fixed it. Then they moved on to the next one. This is not about chasing every shiny tool. It is about buying back your own time. For UK businesses, this means a clear choice. Move now, while most rivals still hesitate. Or wait, and explain later why you fell behind. The free London support is a bonus, not the plan. Your plan should never depend on a grant.

3 Things You Can Do Right Now

Run a quick AI readiness check (30 minutes)
Start by mapping where your time goes each week. List the five tasks that drain you most. Score each one for how repetitive it is. The repetitive jobs are your first AI targets. You can do this on paper today. Or use our free AI Readiness Assessment online.
Fix one painful task this week (2 hours)
Pick a single job from that list. Maybe it is drafting quotes or chasing invoices. Try a tool like ChatGPT or Claude on it. Give it a real example and clear instructions. Keep what works and bin what does not. One small win builds the confidence for the next.
If you are London based, register your interest (15 minutes)
The new programme runs through London and Partners. Search for Grow London Local and the AI support package. Sign up for updates on workshops and mentoring. It is free and built for small firms. Outside London, watch for local schemes too. Your council or chamber may launch something similar.

The Bigger Picture

Step back and look at the direction of travel. Five years ago AI was a side project. Today it is government policy and funded support. That kind of shift does not reverse. The next move is obvious if you watch closely. AI readiness will become a normal business check. Like having a website. Like accepting card payments. Banks, insurers and buyers will start asking about it. Here is my prediction for the next twelve months. More UK regions will copy the London programme. AI support for small businesses will spread fast. By mid 2027, not using AI will look odd. It will feel like refusing email in 2005. The owners who act now will own that lead. The rest will pay more to catch up later. None of this needs a big budget. It needs a decision and a first step.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the London £12m AI support package?

It is a twelve million pound programme announced on 8 June 2026. The Mayor of London funds it over three years. It helps small businesses adopt AI through readiness assessments, mentoring and workshops.

How can a small business start using AI?

Start with one repetitive task that eats your time. Test a tool like ChatGPT or Claude on it. Keep what saves time, then build slowly from there.

Do small businesses really get results from AI?

Yes, when they use it with a plan. According to Small Business Britain, early adopters report productivity gains above thirty five percent. Most see this within the first year.

Here is the takeaway. The money is nice. The signal is much louder. AI support for small businesses is now government policy. That only happens when the stakes are high. You do not need a grant to start. You need one decision and one small step. Pick a task. Test a tool. Keep what works. Want a clear starting point with no guesswork? Book our free AI Readiness Assessment at smeaiconsultancy.com. It shows you exactly where AI can save you time. Then you act, while your rivals are still thinking about it.

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