Why Most Vancouver Businesses That Have Not Adopted AI Say The Same Thing
Seventy-eight percent of Canadian businesses that have not adopted AI say the technology is not relevant to them. They are asking the wrong question.
Keith Donoghue
Seventy-eight percent of Canadian businesses not planning to adopt AI say it is not relevant to what they provide. The real issue is often where they are looking.
By Keith Donoghue | WBN News - Vancouver | July 28, 2026
Editor: Karalee Greer Subscription to WBN and being a Contributor is Free
The Starting Point Most Owners Miss
A Vancouver contractor is asked why AI has not been adopted inside his business.
His answer is practical. Every job is different. Pricing depends on access, labour, materials, timing, and conditions that can change once the work begins.
That is a fair answer.
It is also why many owners dismiss AI too early.
Statistics Canada reported that 78.1 percent of businesses not planning to adopt AI over the next 12 months said it was not relevant to the goods or services they provide.
That number matters because it shows how owners are thinking about the question.
Many are judging AI against the most complex part of the business.
For a contractor, that might be the site visit, the estimate, or the judgment required when real-world conditions change.
But that is rarely the right first place to look.
The Wrong Question
The wrong question is whether AI can do the core work of the business.
For many small businesses, it cannot. At least not fully.
A contractor still needs site judgment. A clinic still needs patient care. A retailer still needs product knowledge and customer instinct.
The better question is different.
What work happens around the core service that is repetitive, predictable, and currently handled manually?
Supplier emails. Follow-up reminders. Quote chases. Booking confirmations. Customer updates. Invoice reminders.
Those tasks may not define the business, but they still consume time.
They also tend to follow patterns.
That makes them better starting points for automation than the complex work owners are trying to protect.
Why It Matters
This is not just about AI adoption. It reflects a broader misunderstanding of where technology creates value for small businesses.
The core work is often complex, personal, and variable.
The admin layer around it is usually more repetitive.
That is where AI and automation can start to help.
The 78 percent are not wrong to protect the work that makes their business different.
The mistake is assuming AI has to begin there.
For many Vancouver small businesses, the first useful AI workflow will not replace the craft.
It will reduce the manual work surrounding it.
Keith Donoghue | WBN News Keith Donoghue is the founder of Highridge AI Consulting, helping Vancouver small businesses reduce manual work and run more efficient operations.
Website: Highridge AI Consulting
Email: keith@highridgeai.com
LinkedIn: keith-donoghue
Video Examples: Highridge AI Video Examples
Instagram: @highridgeaiconsulting
Facebook: Highridge AI Consulting
Editor: Karalee Greer Subscription to WBN and being a Contributor is Free
Tags: #WBN News Vancouver #Keith Donoghue #Vancouver Business #AI For Small Business #Automation #AI Tools #Productivity
Members Discussion