APPLETON (WLUK) — Artificial intelligence has been making a splash for Fox Cities businesses in the past year.
The Fox Cities Chamber asked how businesses are using AI in its most recent Business Outlook Survey. Results show nearly 40% of businesses are experimenting with AI, while 22% of businesses have already implemented AI in some capacity.
“I think it’s positive to see that our businesses are starting to look at responsible, ethical adoption of AI in improving their business,” said Executive Vice President Laura Wiegert.
The use of AI could range anywhere from a generated photo on social media to a new storefront system. Wiegert said smaller businesses are dipping their toes into generative AI from ChatGPT.
“Helping them write and draft articles, create graphics, things like that, which are great efficiencies for small businesses to use,” she explained. “Whereas our larger and our manufacturing businesses are using it in a more integrated basis, like workflow automations.”
Some businesses are less than welcoming of the new technology.
Eroding Winds is a record shop with roots in Oshkosh and Appleton. Owner Adam Bartlett says the growth of AI hasn’t been beneficial for its work.
“When’s the last time anybody downloaded an app and was like, ‘Oh, cool, this update rips. This is awesome, this is cool. Now I like this better.’ Never, because AI is writing it and it’s garbage,” Bartlett told FOX 11. “The same thing happens with business programs and with business applications. The POS system, every time the POS system updates, which is every month, it’s worse. It’s a decline.”
Eroding Winds is one of the storefronts that isn’t interested in using AI. February 24, 2026. (WLUK/Lauren Pieczynski)
Bartlett said front-facing generative AI is the worst form of implementation and damages the work of artists. However, he added there could be positive uses with background systems.
“That’s what AI should be used for. Stuff that we never have to see, stuff that takes the tedium of simple tasks, out of human hands, so it’s not a problem,” he said.
Wiegert told us AI is a new frontier for businesses, and owners need to be careful when using it.
“We encourage businesses not to just jump into AI and say, ‘I’m using it now!’ But to just create a roadmap and a strategy so that they can responsibly adopt it and use it successfully,” she said.
For many businesses in the Valley, it looks like AI is here to stay.
