BT Business has introduced AI from BT, a new portfolio of AI tools aimed at helping UK businesses adopt the technology more easily and securely. The suite includes an AI Receptionist that handles customer calls around the clock, targeting small firms that lose revenue when calls go unanswered.

The AI Receptionist answers routine enquiries, schedules appointments, sends confirmations and captures information from customer conversations, and integrates with Outlook and Google Calendar. It works across UK fixed and mobile networks so businesses keep existing numbers and systems, and BT said customer data will remain private and will not be used to train AI models.

The structural driver is lost revenue from missed calls, with 67% of small businesses saying they miss at least one call on an average day that they believe costs them business. BT estimates unanswered calls could be costing small businesses £3.7 billion in revenue each year.

BT's research also found that 65% of small business owners believe AI could significantly benefit their business, while 56% say they are not yet making full use of it. The portfolio therefore includes a free AI Adoption Hub offering practical guidance for firms getting started.

"AI has the potential to be a huge boost to small businesses and to drive the UK's growth, but many businesses are struggling to know how to begin and how to adopt simply and securely," said Jon James, CEO of BT Business.

"We know that time-poor customers want quick resolutions, and when businesses can't provide this, revenue is lost," said Michelle Ovens, Founder and CEO of Small Business Britain. "For small businesses, that can be the difference between being able to grow and expand, or not."

BT Group plc is headquartered in London and trades on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker BT.A, reporting revenue of £19.7 billion and adjusted EBITDA of £8.2 billion in its full year results to 31 March 2026.

For the sector, the rollout reflects telecoms providers packaging AI call handling and adoption guidance for small firms, positioning responsiveness to customer calls as a measurable revenue issue.

Source: Mobile Europe / FCA National Storage Mechanism