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 Industry experts and tech entrepreneurs have highlighted Artificial Intelligence (AI) as the ultimate equalizer for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Speaking at the inaugural "SMEs Summit" organized by the Business Bil Arabi platform, experts concluded that AI empowers smaller companies to compete with large corporations not just by cutting costs, but by rapidly redesigning business models and maximizing operational efficiency.

During a panel titled "Competing with the Giants: How SMEs Can Win Using AI," speakers emphasized that AI success is not dictated by company size. Instead, it relies on clear objectives, robust internal infrastructure, and secure data governance.

Key advantages for SMEs over corporate giants include:

Faster Decision-Making: Salah Mounis, CEO of Cleo Laboratories, noted that if SMEs match large corporations in data maturity, their agile decision-making processes give them a significant competitive edge over the complex, multi-layered hierarchies of big companies.

Freedom from Legacy Systems: Mohamed El-Masry, Co-founder and CEO of Tactful AI, explained that SMEs possess a golden opportunity because they are unburdened by legacy procedures. This allows them to pivot, adopt new technologies, and experiment with innovative business models much faster than market leaders, who often fear disrupting their existing revenue streams.

Cost-Effective Operations: El-Masry added that AI enables smaller teams to execute tasks that previously required massive headcounts, fundamentally shifting productivity and cost metrics in favor of nimble startups.

The panel concluded that AI does not automatically grant a competitive advantage; it becomes a superpower only when deeply integrated into daily operations, linked directly to customer needs, and utilized to foster continuous learning and adaptability.