Square has introduced Square AI, a complimentary conversational AI assistant integrated into its platform in the UK, designed to enable businesses of all sizes to make quicker, more informed decisions by leveraging their operational data.
UK businesses are currently losing time to data analysis and administrative tasks, despite a partial adoption of AI. Square AI aims to address this by providing a free, conversational AI tool directly within the Square platform, helping businesses utilize their own data for clearer, faster decisions.
New research commissioned by Square found that while 53% of UK SMEs have engaged with AI, only 30% use it consistently. The study also highlighted that 51% of SME owners are instinct-driven, with only 19% relying primarily on data. However, 74% reported increased confidence when intuition is combined with data insights.
Willem Avé, Global Head of Product at Square, noted that Square AI is already assisting businesses across various markets in improving performance clarity, accelerating decision-making, and reducing time spent on reports. He added that Square AI democratizes powerful analytics for businesses of all sizes, making data insights accessible through a simple conversational interface.
By consolidating payments, sales, and daily operations, Square offers a unified view of business performance. Square AI leverages this existing ecosystem to convert current information into actionable insights without the need for separate tools or manual analysis. Key features include deeper, context-aware insights integrating local information like weather and events, natural language interaction, real-time performance insights with pinnable charts, conversation history, and mobile access via the Square Dashboard app.
UK businesses typically spend 4.3 hours weekly on data analysis and an additional 2.3 hours on administrative and reporting tasks. If this time were freed, respondents indicated they would prioritize improving work-life balance (37.2%), marketing and promotion (36.2%), exploring growth opportunities (35.0%), and strengthening customer relationships (32.4%).
John O’Beirne, CEO and Executive Director of Square International, stated that Square AI supports daily decisions with clarity and confidence, while giving owners valuable time to concentrate on customers and business success. He emphasized the tool’s practical, familiar, and trustworthy design to meet the needs of UK businesses.
Brickwood Coffee & Bread, a multi-location cafe in South London, participated in the early access program. Owner Jayke Mangion commented that Square AI is beneficial for owner-operators, providing quick answers to direct questions such as sales figures for specific items or year-over-year revenue comparisons, thus enabling faster decision-making.
Square’s research also showed that UK businesses respond favorably to AI presented as a practical assistant. 53% believe AI aids informed decisions, 43% feel it simplifies data understanding, and 41% seek an assistant to identify opportunities. However, trust remains a challenge, with 40.6% of UK SME owners expressing distrust in AI recommendations without oversight, and 42% desiring clearer information on data usage. Square AI addresses this by being built into the familiar and trusted Square commerce platform.
Square AI will be available free of charge to UK sellers starting February 2026, operating within their existing Square tools. The supporting research was conducted by Censuswide, surveying 500 UK SME owners between December 29, 2025, and January 9, 2026.
