GoDaddy CEO Explains When Small Businesses Should Use AI

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the way small businesses handle everyday work, but GoDaddy CEO Aman Bhutani believes entrepreneurs should be selective about where they use the technology.

According to Bhutani, AI can be particularly valuable for small businesses when it takes care of time-consuming tasks that fall outside an owner’s main area of expertise. However, he says business owners should continue to make the important decisions that define their brand and customer experience.

AI Can Help Small Businesses Save Time

Small businesses often operate with limited staff and resources. Many owners have strong knowledge of their particular industry but may not have enough time or technical expertise to manage every aspect of their online operations.

Bhutani says AI agents can help address this problem by handling repetitive tasks and assisting with parts of the business that consume valuable time.

Research from GoDaddy’s Small Business Research Lab shows that entrepreneurs see significant time-saving potential from AI in areas such as content creation, marketing and business advice.

For a small business owner, this could mean using AI to assist with website content, marketing campaigns, customer communication and other routine activities.

Where Businesses Should Use AI

Bhutani recommends using AI for tasks where the business does not have a particular competitive advantage or where the owner lacks specialized expertise.

This approach allows entrepreneurs to spend more time on the parts of their business where their personal experience and knowledge provide the most value.

AI can also provide research, recommendations and ideas, giving business owners additional information before they make a decision.

Human Control Still Matters

While AI can automate many tasks, Bhutani believes entrepreneurs should not hand over complete control of the elements that make their business unique.

Brand identity and customer experience are two areas where human involvement remains important.

AI may suggest marketing ideas, branding concepts or customer strategies, but the final decision should remain with the business owner. The goal is to use AI as an assistant rather than allow it to replace the judgment that makes a company different from its competitors.

GoDaddy Is Expanding Its AI Tools

GoDaddy has been investing heavily in AI-powered tools for small businesses. Its Airo platform is designed to help entrepreneurs create websites and handle other digital and operational tasks.

The company has also been moving toward AI agents that can perform more complex activities for customers. GoDaddy has described this development as part of its broader move toward an agentic internet, where AI-powered systems can complete tasks with less manual input.

The company's focus is particularly relevant because the majority of its customers are small or micro businesses. GoDaddy's Small Business Research Lab says its research covers more than 20 million online small businesses, with 94% of microbusinesses having fewer than 10 employees.

AI Should Support Entrepreneurs, Not Replace Them

The broader message from GoDaddy’s CEO is that small businesses do not necessarily need to use AI for everything.

Instead, entrepreneurs can identify repetitive or time-consuming responsibilities and allow AI to handle those areas while keeping humans in charge of decisions involving their expertise, brand identity and customers.

As AI tools become more capable, this balanced approach could help smaller companies compete more efficiently without losing the human element that makes their businesses unique.

For small business owners, the key may not be deciding whether to use AI, but understanding where AI can provide the most value without taking control away from the people running the business.