#United States #San Francisco #Small Business #AI Teammate #Gusto Cofounder

Gusto Launches Cofounder: An AI-Powered Teammate for Small Business Owners

Gusto, recognized as a premier partner for small businesses, has recently introduced Gusto Cofounder, a cutting-edge AI designed specifically to empower small business owners. This tool stands out from standard AI applications by providing immediate context and functionality that are tailored to each business's unique requirements. Unlike other general-purpose AI platforms that begin without this foundational knowledge, Cofounder leverages data from Gusto's existing tools, such as its payroll systems and compliance calendars, to hit the ground running.

The unveiling of Gusto Cofounder comes at a time when entrepreneurship in the United States is experiencing unprecedented growth, with new business applications surpassing 500,000 monthly, which is nearly a historical peak. The 2026 New Business Formation Report by Gusto reveals that 60% of new business leaders utilized AI to establish their enterprises last year—a statistic that has doubled in just a two-year span. Half of those surveyed indicated that AI significantly expedited the launch process or reduced costs associated with starting their business.

Eddie Kim, co-founder and Head of Technology at Gusto, remarked, "Small business owners are some of the most resourceful people in the world, but they're consistently stretched too thin. The real difficulties often lie not in running payroll itself, but in the array of tasks that precede it. This includes gathering data from various systems, managing spreadsheets, and following up on missing information—essentially, all the 'work before the work.' Gusto Cofounder aims to alleviate these hidden burdens completely."

Designed as a highly interactive AI assistant, Cofounder is capable of managing vital operational aspects that can be time-consuming for small business proprietors. This includes tasks such as executing payroll, identifying compliance risks, tracking down missing timesheets, and anticipating staffing conflicts before they escalate into problems. Users can effortlessly communicate with Cofounder through natural language commands via SMS, Slack, or the web. For instance, prompts can include interactions like:

• - "Run payroll for this Friday and notify me of anything that needs my approval before submission."
• - "Compile a weekly labor cost report by department and send it to me every Monday morning."
• - "Request approval for any team expense exceeding $25 before it gets processed."
• - "Alert me about any time-off requests that could interfere with payroll deadlines or leave the team under-staffed."

Cofounder's functionality doesn’t stop with task execution; it also features over 20 pre-configured automations covering essential processes like onboarding, payroll management, expense approvals, and compliance checks. These automations are grounded in insights derived from the over 500,000 small businesses that rely on Gusto’s platform.

As one statement from CEO David Levin of Angry Sam Productions sums up: "Cofounder allows me to engage with Gusto in a way that feels like I'm conversing with a real person. It's efficiently handling all the behind-the-scenes Gusto tasks for me." Gusto Cofounder is also designed to work seamlessly with popular business tools like Google Workspace, Notion, and Slack. Notably, this AI maintains clear boundaries, ensuring that users retain ultimate control over significant decisions while relieving them of routine tasks and flagging anomalies when they occur.

Small business owners interested in harnessing the power of this innovative AI can sign up for the early access program at gusto.com/cofounder.

About Gusto

Founded as an innovative partner for small businesses, Gusto provides an extensive suite of essential services, including payroll management, health benefits, tax credit support, compliance assistance, and HR functionalities. Serving more than 500,000 small enterprises across the United States, Gusto is ardently dedicated to nurturing the small business ecosystem through a combination of technology and community support.