---
title: "AI will not save SMEs time as long as it remains on the sidelines — Marsanne Studio AI watch"
description: "An opinion piece argues that AI only improves SMEs when it is built into payroll and HR processes rather than used as a standalone tool."
url: "https://marsanne.studio/en/ai-watch/ai-will-not-save-smes-time-as-long-as-it-remains-on-the-c71b0b/"
lang: "en"
---

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Opinion · 1 October 2026

# AI will not save SMEs time as long as it remains on the sidelines

Original title, in French: “L’IA ne fera pas gagner du temps aux PME tant qu’elle restera à la marge”

**Publication**

Maddyness (France)

**Author**

Arnaud Lusetti

**Published on**

1 October 2026 · read in the page structured data

## Summary

The article argues that AI in SMEs often remains limited to one-off trials and only transforms the business when it is integrated into existing processes, with reliable data and clear business rules. The author cites payroll and human resources as areas where administrative friction (searching for information, checks, re-entering data) needlessly ties up teams. He gives a figure as an example: on the subject of sick pay top-up, more accessible expertise would have reduced support requests by 20%, according to internal PayFit data. The article stresses the need for traceability and human validation for decisions with an impact, and concludes that SMEs will fall behind because of a lack of AI integration rather than the choice of a poor tool.

Summary based on the full text of the article.

[Read the article on Maddyness →](https://www.maddyness.com/2026/10/01/lia-ne-fera-pas-gagner-du-temps-aux-pme-tant-quelle-restera-a-la-marge/)

## Figures cited

-   20 %
    
    reduction in support requests on sick pay top-up thanks to more accessible expertise
    
    internal PayFit data
    
    > « Sur le maintien de salaire, une expertise plus accessible a permis de réduire de 20% les sollicitations adressées au support. »
    
    Source: PayFit
    

## Classification

**Country**

Worldwide scope

**Company size**

SMEs

**Industries**

Consulting, legal, accounting, business services · All industries, or industry not specified

**Companies**

PayFit (supplier)

**Keywords**

payroll, human resources, SMEs, automation, customer support, AI integration

Entry written by Marsanne Studio from the cited article, with the help of an AI model (claude-sonnet-5). The rights to the article and its illustrations belong to Maddyness and its author. Entry translated from French by Claude Sonnet 5.5.