A new study from OpenAI, GDPval (2025), takes a major step toward understanding what AI can really do in the workplace. Unlike theoretical tests or coding challenges, this benchmark measures how AI performs on real-world, economically valuable business tasks — the kind that drive productivity and profit across finance, retail, manufacturing, and professional services.
While the data is based on the U.S. economy, the implications for UK SMEs are hard to ignore. It provides early evidence of how AI could reshape day-to-day work, cost structures, and competitiveness - especially for growing companies that need to scale efficiently.
If you are a business owner or leader.... here’s what you need to know.
The study found that the latest AI systems - including GPT-5 and Claude Opus 4.1, are approaching human-expert quality, completing complex tasks up to 1.6× faster and 1.6× cheaper than professionals working unaided.
For SMEs struggling to expand capacity without increasing costs, AI could become the ultimate digital colleague - automating research, drafting, data analysis, and reporting so teams can focus on high-value, human-centric work.
AI capability is fast becoming a leveller between small and large businesses. The GDPval data shows AI now competes with professional-grade outputs in fields like finance, legal, project management, and technical services.
For SMEs, that means access to a level of expertise that previously required specialist staff or agencies. Think of it as on-demand capability - strategic insight, analysis, or documentation done to a near-consultant standard, in minutes.
The research shows GPT-5 performed best on accuracy and reasoning — following instructions precisely and calculating correctly. For leaders managing budgets, pricing models, or marketing performance, this means the ability to generate accurate analysis in real time - helping to drive better decisions, faster.
When routine work is automated, teams have space to think bigger. AI opens the door for SMEs to create new products and service lines - from data-driven marketing solutions to personalised customer experiences....... without the typical cost of innovation.
AI won’t remove the need for people - it’ll redefine what people do. Even the best models still produce incorrect or risky outputs in around 3% of cases, so human oversight is essential. That means training teams in AI literacy: knowing when to trust the system, when to edit, and when to start over. It's also worth thinking how that 3% error rate stacks up against your existing team?
Models often fail because of instruction-following and formatting errors - small details that can undermine credibility. For SMEs in sectors like finance, legal, or healthcare, that can translate into reputational or compliance risk. AI is a tool to be supervised, not left to run unsupervised.
The long-term gains are clear, but initial setup takes time: training, integration, and workflow redesign. SMEs that rush into AI without a plan risk wasted investment or frustrated teams. Pilot projects - focused on measurable value, are the smart way to start.
AI can handle the what but not always the why. The businesses that win will be those that combine AI’s speed and scale with human creativity, empathy, and judgment - keeping customers engaged and experiences authentic.
The GDPval report confirms that AI isn’t just hype - it’s becoming part of how real work gets done. For UK SMEs, the opportunity is huge: greater efficiency, capability, and competitiveness. But the risk lies in treating AI as a silver bullet rather than a strategic tool.
The priority now isn’t whether to use AI - it’s how to use it responsibly and effectively.
Start small. Measure the impact. Train your people. And use AI to amplify, not replace, the human strengths that make your business unique.
Source; Based on GDPval: Evaluating AI Model Performance on Real-World Economically Valuable Tasks (OpenAI, 2025). Analysis and interpretation by Ged Leigh from The Marketing Centre.
Originally published by Ged Leigh in his LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ai-uk-sme-economy-balancing-promise-pressure-ged-leigh-99fff/