Prudential Group’s global head of government affairs and public policy, Chen
Shuzhi, said the biggest challenge for small and micro enterprises is access to
credit and financial services and that their risk exposures are generally large.
The insurance industry aims to help firms reduce those risks. A survey showed
58% of respondent SMEs already use AI tools, narrowing the digital gap with
larger firms, but SMEs still struggle to access digital platforms,
infrastructure and alternative financing channels. Forty percent of surveyed
SMEs said building cyber-resilient digital infrastructure would cost about
$100,000 — a level that could force some firms into bankruptcy.
