Slovak Smes Facing New Challenges (With an Emphasis on the Implementation of Artificial Intelligence)

Today's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face many challenges associated with the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI), which offers a wide range of opportunities to improve efficiency, competitiveness and sustainability. Currently, there are a number of diverse factors affecting the operations of SMEs in Slovakia, and these factors can be divided into general ones, which affect SMEs regardless of the sector in which they operate, and specific ones, which take into account sector specificities. In the context of AI implementation, these factors are determined by the state of knowledge, the sector of AI implementation and the relationships of AI implementation to other environmental factors that determine the consequences. The aim of this paper is to explore the opportunities and challenges of AI implementation in Slovak SMEs, and based on the obtained information, to propose a framework for AI implementation in these enterprises. The conclusion of the article is that proper implementation of AI can help SMEs gain strategic advantage, but as it brings benefits it also brings risks that need to be faced.