The UK telecoms operator has rolled out AI from BT, a new collection of artificial intelligence products targeting small and medium-sized businesses. The offering centres on an AI Receptionist capable of fielding customer calls continuously, paired with a complimentary AI Adoption Hub that provides practical support for companies beginning their AI journey.
BT's own research reveals a significant gap between aspiration and action: 65% of small business owners see AI as potentially transformative for their operations, yet 56% report they are not fully leveraging the technology. The disconnect is particularly acute in customer service, where 67% of small firms acknowledge missing at least one call daily—a shortfall BT estimates costs the sector £3.7 billion annually in foregone revenue.
The AI Receptionist is engineered to manage standard inquiries, book appointments, send confirmations and extract details from customer interactions. It integrates with both Outlook and Google Calendar, and operates across BT's UK fixed and mobile networks, allowing businesses to retain their current phone numbers and infrastructure. BT has committed that customer information stays confidential and will not feed into AI model training.
Jon James, BT Business CEO, stated: "AI has the potential to be a huge boost to small businesses and to drive the UK's growth, but many businesses are struggling to know how to begin and how to adopt simply and securely. That's why BT – the UK's most trusted network for business – has created AI from BT: a portfolio of practical, secure AI solutions backed by BT's expertise and support."
Michelle Ovens, Founder and CEO of Small Business Britain, emphasised the operational pressures facing smaller firms. "Small businesses can often feel they are fighting a losing battle, having to cover everything from finance and HR to marketing with limited headcount," she said. "AI can be an incredible help, and when utilised correctly, it is a cost-effective and fast way of managing the front line of customer service. We know that time-poor customers want quick resolutions, and when businesses can't provide this, revenue is lost. For small businesses, that can be the difference between being able to grow and expand, or not."
