Every week, new technology changes how businesses work. Some updates may look small, but they can have a big impact on your business over time. If you miss these updates, you may miss new opportunities or risks.

Here are five important small business technology stories from this week and what they mean for your business.

Small Business Technology News #1

How Coca-Cola, Nike, and Starbucks Use Artificial Intelligence

Big global brands like Coca-Cola, Nike, and Starbucks are using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve how they work and how they serve customers. They are not using AI only to save time or cut costs. They are using it to create better customer experiences, personalize products, and increase sales.

Coca-Cola has made a large investment of $1.1 billion in AI, working closely with Microsoft. The company is adding AI tools across its entire business. One example is Coca-Cola’s “Create Real Magic” holiday campaign. In this campaign, the company used Microsoft Azure AI to create a digital Santa that could talk with users in 26 different languages. Over one million people interacted with this AI-powered Santa.

Nike uses AI in its physical retail stores. When customers enter certain Nike stores, RFID technology recognizes them and connects to their Nike account. The system then suggests products based on the customer’s past purchases, preferences, and activity.

Starbucks uses its own AI system called Deep Brew. This platform analyzes data from millions of Starbucks app users. It helps the company recommend drinks, decide how many staff members are needed at different times, manage inventory, and send personalized offers to customers.

Why this matters for small businesses

Many small business owners are unsure how to use AI. Looking at large companies can help. Big businesses spend large amounts of money testing and improving AI systems. Over time, these tools usually become cheaper and available to small businesses.

What big companies are using today, small businesses will likely use tomorrow.

Small Business Technology News #2

Deloitte: Human Skills Still Matter Most in the Age of AI

A new report from Deloitte shows that even though AI is becoming more common at work, human skills are still the most important factor in building successful teams.

Deloitte surveyed nearly 1,400 professionals from different industries. The study compared teams that consistently meet their goals with teams that do not. While high-performing teams use AI more often (78% compared to 54%), their real strength comes from how people work together.

Some key findings include:

  • High-performing teams are 2.3 times more likely to trust their team leaders

  • These teams are more flexible and adapt quickly to change

  • Employees are given more freedom to make decisions

  • Teams work in a culture that supports learning and growth

  • About 68% of people said they take time to help coworkers learn new skills

The study shows that AI does not replace teamwork, trust, or leadership. Instead, AI works best when people use it together in a positive work environment.

Why this matters for small businesses

AI will replace some simple and repetitive jobs in the future. However, most employees will still be needed. They will use AI tools to work faster and smarter.

Employees who learn AI tools and use them well will become more valuable to your business.

Small Business Technology News #3

Microsoft Makes Teams More Secure

Microsoft has introduced new security protections in Microsoft Teams, starting January 12, 2026. These updates apply automatically to organizations using default settings.

The goal is to make it harder for hackers to use Teams to:

  • Spread malware

  • Steal login details

  • Run phishing attacks

  • Gain access to company data

The update adds several layers of security without requiring action from IT administrators. If a file or link is wrongly blocked, users can report it so IT teams can adjust the settings.

Microsoft says these changes help create proactive security, but IT teams should still review their settings.

Why this matters for small businesses

Microsoft Teams is widely used by small businesses. Because of this, it is also a target for cyberattacks. These new security updates help reduce risk.

Small business owners should make sure their IT teams understand these changes and confirm that security settings are properly managed.

Small Business Technology News #4

Wix vs. Weebly: Which Website Builder Is Better?

Technology reviewer Jordan Minor from PCMag tested popular website builders Wix and Weebly. His conclusion: Wix clearly performs better overall.

Wix offers:

  • More powerful tools

  • Greater design flexibility

  • Better customer support

  • Over 1,000 design templates

Weebly offers:

  • Simpler plans

  • Lower-cost options

  • Unlimited storage on cheaper plans

  • Around 50 templates

One major difference is AI. Wix includes AI tools that can help generate website content or even build a full site based on prompts. Weebly does not currently offer AI features.

Minor said that Wix is the best choice for beginners who want an easy way to create a professional website.

Why this matters for small businesses

Both Wix and Weebly are popular and useful tools. Small business owners should review both before choosing. While reviewers prefer Wix, many businesses are still happy using Weebly, especially if cost is a concern.

Small Business Technology News #5

Google’s AI Inbox Shows the Future of Gmail

Google is testing a new feature called AI Inbox for Gmail. This feature replaces the usual email list with AI-generated summaries, tasks, and topics.

Technology reporter Jay Peters from The Verge tested the feature. AI Inbox creates short summaries of emails and suggests to-do items at the top of the inbox. It also links to important messages.

However, the AI sometimes made mistakes and showed items that were not important. Peters found it interesting but not necessary if you already manage your inbox well.

Currently, AI Inbox is available only to test users.

Why this matters for small businesses

If your business uses Gmail or Google Workspace, AI features are coming soon. In the future, employees may be able to search all emails using natural language, just like a Google search.

This could be very powerful, because much of a business’s important information is stored in emails.

Final Thought

Big companies, researchers, and tech firms are shaping the future of business technology. While small businesses may not move as quickly, these changes will eventually reach everyone.

Understanding these trends early gives small businesses a chance to prepare, adapt, and stay competitive.

Published: 19th January 2026

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