{
  "id": 10651721,
  "title": "Confidence is the new competitive advantage",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/confidence-is-the-new-competitive-advantage",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-29T08:43:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechRadar",
    "slug": "techradar",
    "url": "https://www.techradar.com/pro/confidence-is-the-new-competitive-advantage"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A defining moment has arrived for UK small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Rapid technological and AI advancements have the potential to transform how these businesses operate, boosting competitiveness, efficiency, and growth. However, a significant divide is emerging between businesses that feel confident in adopting new technologies and those struggling to keep pace. A third of UK SMBs risk being left behind due to a lack of confidence and processes for effectively identifying, adopting, and scaling new technologies. This issue is particularly concerning as SMBs make up over 99% of UK businesses and are the backbone of the UK economy. The gap between access to technology and taking action is stark. While many SMB leaders recognize the importance of innovation and technology adoption, fewer than half feel confident in their ability to identify, adopt, and deploy new technologies successfully. This gap in confidence is becoming a key competitive differentiator. Successful businesses have built confidence through clear leadership, strong governance, and repeatable processes. These foundations decrease uncertainty surrounding technology investments and enable easier decision-making. Conversely, less confident businesses struggle with technology decisions, leading to delays or isolated initiatives that fail to deliver results. The consequences of inaction are far-reaching. Fewer than half of SMB leaders feel confident in their ability to identify, adopt, and deploy new technologies successfully. As a result, 53% already feel at a competitive disadvantage, with 28% fearing they will lose new business to competitors embracing technology and 24% fearing losing existing customers. The cost of waiting, especially in the AI era, is significant. AI has the potential to reshape how work gets done, automating repetitive tasks and allowing employees to focus on high-value activities. However, businesses must move beyond basic tools like chatbots and explore embedding AI directly into workflows and processes. The risk of waiting is not just missing out on current productivity gains but also falling behind as competitors make more decisions at scale. While the gap in confidence is alarming, there is reason for optimism. SMBs are uniquely positioned to thrive compared to larger organizations due to their agility and lack of legacy infrastructure. The challenge lies in time constraints and the difficulty in distinguishing genuine business value from marketing hype. The answer lies in focusing on the problem rather than the technology itself. SMB leaders don't need to be technology experts; they simply need to understand where friction exists within their business. With clear questions identified, the right partner can help find the appropriate solution, ultimately helping to close the confidence gap.",
  "summary": "SMBs lack the confidence they need to adopt and scale technology.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}