How AI is changing local businesses — and what it could mean for workers
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) —Artificial intelligence is becoming more common in workplaces, including among small businesses in the Coachella Valley.
More than half of U.S. workers now say they use AI on the job, according to Gallup. Census data also shows about one in five U.S. businesses are using AI, with sales and marketing among the most common uses.
At Cheers Coffee in Palm Desert, Co-Founder Hakob Jibilyan uses AI to help with social media, including figuring out when and what to post.
“With AI, you do have everything in front of you and you get the answer right away, instantly, which makes your job way easier,” Jibilyan said.
At Starlight Parking, AI is used even more broadly.
CTO and Co-Founder Cruz Hernandez said the company uses the technology across several parts of its business, including marketing, sales, technology management and operations.
“It saves you time, so much time,” Hernandez said. “And it also allows smaller businesses to scale up and almost operate like an enterprise-level company.”
But the growing use of AI is also raising concerns about jobs. U.S. employers have cited AI in more than 120,000 announced job cuts so far in 2026, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
A McKinsey survey also found 39% of respondents expect AI to reduce their company’s workforce in the next year.
For Luis Fernando, who uses AI himself, there are still parts of an experience he wants to remain human.“I would like it to be like a human response or experience,” Fernando said. “And I don’t think AI has that.”
That is also a line both local businesses say they are thinking about.
Hernandez said Starlight does not allow AI to manage direct customer communication because the company wants those interactions to remain authentic.
Jibilyan said AI can help make parts of the job faster, but the connection between employees and customers is something technology cannot replace.
“Customers always come back just because of certain employee that we have, because they had sort of a bonding where they just chat for two minutes and it changes someone’s day,” Jibilyan said.
Both businesses say they are open to using AI in more ways, while still keeping the human connection with customers.
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