What do cheeseburgers, coffee, skincare, and jams have in common? They are all made and sold by small businesses that use artificial intelligence (AI) to grow and compete.
Not only are 40% of small business owners utilizing generative AI—applications like chat and image creation—but nearly all small businesses are using digital tools that are in some way powered by AI. Just recently, I had the chance to connect with several entrepreneurs in California who are all-in on AI.
Bots and Burgers
Liz Truong, the owner of First Born and Breaking Dawn Brunch in Los Gatos, has nearly two decades of experience in the restaurant industry. Bringing that experience together with a desire to innovate, Liz spent nearly seven years developing Burger Bots, a robotic system powered by AI that sauces and boxes cheeseburgers and can even cut tomatoes and onions perfectly every time. Liz is on a mission to deliver quality and efficiency to customers while still relying on her chefs to cook the burgers and servers to connect with guests. The system is fully adaptable and can be customized for different restaurant needs and locations.
Coffee and Chat
Henry’s House of Coffee has been roasting coffee since 1965 in downtown San Francisco. The Kalebjian family, who owns the shop, takes their coffee seriously. Hrag Kalebjian, a member of the U.S. Chamber’s Small Business Council, brought his experience scooping coffee beans as a teenager, together with his business leadership experience, to take Henry’s to the next level by embracing innovation and AI. He has recently deployed a system he designed with the help of ChatGPT that uses software and sensors to spray water on coffee beans to prevent static buildup, which typically makes it difficult to cleanly bag coffee for distribution. Hrag also encourages his baristas and staff to join him for weekly sessions where he teaches them about innovation, like embracing AI.
Skincare and Sourcing
Brook Dougherty is the founder and chief alchemist of JustUs, a company devoted to making quality skincare products that cater to women who aren’t always represented by the traditional cosmetics industry. Based in the Coachella Valley, JustUs uses natural botanicals along with lab-developed ingredients in their products and is known for collaborating with non-profits through their Small Batch, Big Change program that sells exclusive products that financially support a number of charitable causes. JustUs has used AI to build industrial-scale equipment to boost production. Roughly 20% of small businesses nationally are using AI to help find lower-cost suppliers to keep from passing higher costs to consumers. Brook said her company has also utilized ChatGPT to help her source ingredients, which is particularly helpful at a time when small businesses are worried about tariffs and inflation.
Jamming and Branding
Risa and David Baron own Jackie’s Jams, a small company in the San Diego area that produces handmade jams from local fruit. Risa and David got their start selling jams at farmers’ markets. Now, Jackie’s Jams is selling in select Whole Foods and Sprouts markets and is served in luxury hotels like the Hotel Coronado. Tripleberry is their number one seller, but like all small businesses, they are looking for ways to multiply their time to compete. Risa has been able to use AI to increase productivity by helping her write social media advertising and messages. In fact, using generative AI tools has helped Risa save at least an hour of her day on backend office tasks. Nationally, the number one use of AI for small businesses is marketing, as small businesses using AI are seeing increased sales and hiring compared to their competitors who are not.
About the author
Jordan Crenshaw
Crenshaw is Senior Vice President of the Chamber Technology Engagement Center (C_TEC).
