Sage, the accounting, financial, HR and payroll technology provider for small and mid-sized businesses, has partnered with Google and Multiverse to help small businesses in the North East with practical AI skills.

Sage has returned as headline sponsor of the TechNExt festival for the fourth consecutive year, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the region’s growing tech ecosystem.

The event, supported by techUK and hosted in the region’s AI Growth Zone, comes at a time when many small businesses are still figuring out how – and where – to use AI.

While interest is growing, adoption remains uneven. New research from Enterprise Nation, in partnership with Sage, has found that 53% of SMEs believe stronger AI skills would help to improve the quality, consistency and speed within their business.

When asked about what is holding them back from adoption, 53% said costs; 46% said lack of skills; and 37% said having the time to learn new tools.

Working alongside Google and Multiverse, the aim is to give businesses something tangible to take away – whether that’s trying a new tool, improving an existing workflow, or simply feeling more confident about where to start.