Square has launched Square AI in the UK. This free, built-in assistant helps small and medium-sized businesses turn everyday data into clear insights. It is embedded directly in the Square platform. The tool simplifies decision-making and eases the administrative load for many business owners.
The rollout comes after new research from Square. It shows that 53% of UK SMEs have tried AI, but only 30% use it regularly. Many still depend on instinct. In fact, 51% of owners consider themselves instinct-led decision-makers, while only 19% focus mainly on data. However, nearly three-quarters (74%) report feeling more confident when intuition is supported by insights.
“Across our markets, we’re already seeing businesses use Square AI to get clearer on their performance, make faster decisions, and spend less time buried in reports,” said Willem Avé, Global Head of Product at Square. “Businesses generate enormous amounts of data every day through payments and commerce. For a long time, turning that data into real insight has been something reserved for larger organisations with analysts and operations teams. Square AI levels the playing field by bringing powerful analytics into the flow of running a business, through a simple, conversational AI assistant. It enables businesses of every size to combine their instinct with real data, without complexity.”
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Square AI operates within the company’s ecosystem of payments, sales, and tools. This lets business owners ask natural-language questions about trends and performance. The system provides real-time answers, creates visual summaries, and considers local events or weather. This helps with staffing and inventory choices.
The research highlights the time pressures on UK SMEs. They spend an average of 4.3 hours a week analyzing data and 2.3 hours on administrative reporting. Many owners say that reclaimed time would help with growth, marketing, customer relationships, or improving work-life balance.
“UK businesses are operating in a tough environment right now, with rising costs, staffing pressure, and little margin for wasted time,” said John O’Beirne, CEO and Executive Director of Square International. “Where Square AI comes in is backing everyday decisions with clarity and confidence, while giving owners meaningful time back each week to focus on what matters most: their customers and their success. It’s built to feel practical, familiar, and trustworthy, because that’s what UK businesses need to keep moving forward.”
