SME-TEAM: Leveraging Trust and Ethics for Secure and Responsible Use of AI and LLMs in SMEs

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (LLMs) are revolutionizing today's business practices; however, their adoption within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) raises serious trust, ethical, and technical issues. In this perspective paper, we introduce a structured, multi-phased framework, "SME-TEAM" for the secure and responsible use of these technologies in SMEs. Based on a conceptual structure of four key pillars, i.e., Data, Algorithms, Human Oversight, and Model Architecture, SME-TEAM bridges theoretical ethical principles with operational practice, enhancing AI capabilities across a wide range of applications in SMEs. Ultimately, this paper provides a structured roadmap for the adoption of these emerging technologies, positioning trust and ethics as a driving force for resilience, competitiveness, and sustainable innovation within the area of business analytics and SMEs.