July 14, 2026, Salt Lake City, Utah Dr. Kavita Ganesan, Founder and Chief AI Strategist & Architect of Opinosis Analytics, participated in a national Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses alumni CEO Roundtable focused on practical AI adoption and the business results small businesses can achieve with the technology.
The pre-recorded panel, “AI That Actually Pays Off: How 10KSB CEOs Are Driving Revenue, Cutting Costs, and Avoiding Expensive Mistakes”, brought together a small group of 10,000 Small Businesses alumni to discuss how they are using AI, the results they are seeing, implementation lessons, unexpected challenges, and investments that have delivered value.
Dr. Ganesan was invited by the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Babson College based on her experience and leadership in applying AI within her business.
Where Small Businesses Can Win With AI
For small businesses, one of the most practical opportunities with AI is removing busy work.
Repetitive administrative tasks, information processing, document work, routine communications, and other time-consuming activities can often be streamlined with AI. For lean teams, reducing this workload can create more capacity for customers, strategic initiatives, business development, and growth.
Dr. Ganesan also emphasized that businesses should approach AI with care and a clear understanding of the problem they are trying to solve.
AI Cannot Fix a Problematic Business Model
One of Dr. Ganesan’s key points during the discussion was that AI cannot fix a problematic business model.
Through her work with businesses exploring AI, she has encountered organizations looking to use AI to improve their businesses when the underlying challenge involves the business model itself. In these situations, addressing the fundamental business issue comes first.
AI can improve processes, increase efficiency, and create new capabilities. The technology works most effectively when it is applied to a sound business need with a clear understanding of the desired outcome.
For small businesses, this means asking an important question before investing in AI: What business problem are we actually trying to solve?
A Cautious Approach to AI Adoption
Dr. Ganesan also encouraged small business leaders to use AI cautiously. Businesses need to evaluate where AI is appropriate, understand how reliably it performs, and determine where human expertise and oversight should remain part of the process.
This is especially relevant for small businesses, where resources and implementation capacity can be limited. Selecting the right use cases can help organizations focus their investments on areas where AI can provide practical value.
Her approach is centered on understanding the business problem first and then determining where AI can help.
Bringing AI Strategy Into the Small Business Conversation
Dr. Ganesan’s participation builds on her connection to the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, delivered in partnership with Babson College. The program brings together small business owners through business education, resources, and a national network of entrepreneurs.
As an alumna of the program, Dr. Ganesan brought her AI expertise to a conversation focused on the practical realities facing small business leaders. The CEO Roundtable provided an opportunity for alumni to exchange experiences around AI adoption, including where the technology is creating value, lessons from implementation, and considerations around AI investment.
Dr. Ganesan’s contribution emphasized a practical starting point for small businesses: understand the business problem, determine whether AI is the right solution, and approach implementation with appropriate caution and human judgment.
About Opinosis Analytics
Opinosis Analytics is a global artificial intelligence consulting firm led by Dr. Kavita Ganesan, Chief AI Strategist and Architect, keynote speaker, board advisor, and author with more than 20 years of experience in AI. The firm helps businesses and government agencies improve operational efficiency, make deeper data-driven decisions, reduce human error, and drive measurable business growth through practical AI adoption.
Opinosis Analytics’ core services include developing actionable AI strategies, creating custom machine learning and NLP solutions, and assessing AI opportunities to identify and prioritise high-impact initiatives that deliver sustainable value.