Welcome to the Business Trends and Outlook Survey
Core with Supplemental Content V2 for Cycle 2
The U.S. Census Bureau is requesting your assistance to produce important data on current economic conditions, as well as the impact on our nation’s economy when natural disasters or other emergencies occur.
Your response is especially important as it helps policy makers, government officials, and businesses like yours understand these effects. Please complete this quick survey; it will take approximately 17 minutes.
The data you provide will be aggregated to create a two-week snapshot of economic activity within the U.S. This survey is not intended to replace more comprehensive surveys that typically require the use of company records.
Estimates are acceptable and encouraged.
The survey will take approximately 17 minutes.
Please include all domestic operations of this consolidated business, including all locations, subsidiaries, and divisions.
For this survey, please provide data for: [Name 1] [Name 2]
FOR SINGLE UNITS ONLY Is the Employer Identification Number (EIN) used on this business’s latest Internal Revenue Service Form 941, Employer's Federal Quarterly Tax Return?
Yes
No
If no, please provide EIN:
Overall, how would you describe this business’s current performance? Please include all domestic operations of this consolidated business, including all locations, subsidiaries, and divisions.
Excellent
Above average
Average
Below average
Poor
Between MMM DD – MMM DD, how did this business’s operating revenues/sales/receipts change? Please compare this two-week period to the two weeks prior. Estimates are acceptable.
Increased
Decreased
No change
Between MMM DD – MMM DD, how did this business’s number of paid employees change?
Increased
Decreased
No change
Between MMM DD – MMM DD, how did the total number of hours worked by this business’s paid employees change?
Increased
Decreased
No change
Between MMM DD – MMM DD, did this business do any of the following?
Select all that apply.
Open a new location
Open a previously closed location
Temporarily close a location
Permanently close a location
None of the above
Between MMM DD – MMM DD, how did the time it takes for this business to receive deliveries from suppliers change?
Increased
Decreased
No change
Not applicable
How would you describe this business’s current inventories?
Larger than optimal
Optimal
Smaller than optimal
Not applicable
Between MMM DD – MMM DD, how did demand for this business’s goods or services change?
Increased
Decreased
No change
Between MMM DD – MMM DD, how did the prices this business charges for its own goods or services change?
Increased
Decreased
No change
Between MMM DD – MMM DD, how did the prices this business pays for goods or services change?
Increased
Decreased
No change
In the last six months, in what ways did changes to interest rates negatively impact this business? Select all that apply.
Decreased profitability
Inability to service debt
Inability to refinance existing loans
Inability to invest in this business
Not applicable
In the last six months, did this business experience any monetary losses due to an extreme weather event (for example, hurricane, flood, drought, or heat wave)?
Yes
No
Six months from now, how do you think you will describe this business’s performance?
Excellent
Above average
Average
Below average
Poor
Six months from now, how do you think this business’s number of paid employees will have changed?
Increased
Decreased
No change
Six months from now, how do you think the total number of hours worked by this business’s paid employees will have changed?
Increased
Decreased
No change
Six months from now, how do you think the time it takes for this business to receive deliveries from suppliers will have changed?
Increased
Decreased
No change
Not applicable
Six months from now, how do you think you will describe this business’s inventories?
Larger than optimal
Optimal
Smaller than optimal
Not applicable
Six months from now, how do you think demand for this business’s goods or services will have changed?
Increased
Decreased
No change
Six months from now, how do you think the prices this business charges for its own goods or services will have changed?
Increased
Decreased
No change
Six months from now, how do you think the prices this business pays for goods or services will have changed?
Increased
Decreased
No change
During the next six months, do you think this business will do any of the following?
Select all that apply.
Open a new location
Open a previously closed location
Temporarily close a location
Permanently close a location
None of the above
Introduction to AI supplement and definition
Between MMM DD – MMM DD, did this business use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in producing goods or services? (Examples of AI: machine learning, natural language processing, virtual agents, voice recognition, etc.)
Yes
No
Do not know
In the last six months, what types or applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) did this business use in producing goods or services?
Select all that apply.
Machine learning
Natural language processing
Virtual agents or chat bots
Speech/voice recognition using AI
Recommendation systems based on AI
Large language models
Text analytics using AI
Data analytics using AI
Neural networks
Augmented reality
Decision making systems based on AI
Deep learning
Image/pattern recognition
Machine/computer vision
Robotics process automation
Biometrics
Marketing automation using AI
Other
None
If the answer to 24 is anything other than “None”, then ask 25-29 below:
In the last six months, did this business use Artificial Intelligence to perform tasks previously done by employees in producing goods or services?
Yes
No
Do not know
If yes to 25, ask 26:
In the last six months, how many tasks previously done by employees were instead performed by Artificial Intelligence?
A small number
A moderate number
A large number
In the last six months, did this business use Artificial Intelligence to perform operations previously performed by existing equipment or software in producing goods or services?
Yes
No
Do not know
In the last six months, how did the use of Artificial Intelligence affect this business’s total employment?
Increased
Decreased
Did not change
In the last six months, to use Artificial Intelligence (AI), what changes did this business make?
Select all that apply.
Trained current staff to use AI
Hired staff trained in AI
Purchased computing power or specialized equipment
Purchased cloud services or cloud storage
Changed data collection or data management practices
Developed new workflows
Used vendors or consulting services to install or integrate AI
Other
None
During the next six months, do you think this business will be using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in producing goods or services? (Examples of AI: machine learning, natural language processing, virtual agents, voice recognition, etc.)
Yes
No
Do not know
If yes to 30, then ask 31-36 below:
During the next six months, what types or applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) do you think this business will use in producing goods or services?
Select all that apply.
Machine learning
Natural language processing
Virtual agents or chat bots
Speech/voice recognition using AI
Recommendation systems based on AI
Large language models
Text analytics using AI
Data analytics using AI
Neural networks
Augmented reality
Decision making systems based on AI
Deep learning
Image/pattern recognition
Machine/computer vision
Robotics process automation
Biometrics
Marketing automation using AI
Other
During the next six months, do you think this business will use Artificial Intelligence to perform tasks currently done by employees in producing goods or services?
Yes
No
Do not know
If yes to 32, ask 33:
During the next six months, how many tasks currently done by employees will instead be performed by Artificial Intelligence?
A small number
A moderate number
A large number
During the next six months, do you think this business will use Artificial Intelligence to perform operations currently performed by existing equipment and software in producing goods or services?
Yes
No
Do not know
During the next six months, how do you think the use of Artificial Intelligence will affect this business’s total employment?
Increase
Decrease
Will not change
During the next six months, to use Artificial Intelligence, what changes do you think this business will make?
Select all that apply.
Train current staff to use AI
Hire staff trained in AI
Purchase computing power or specialized equipment
Purchase cloud services or cloud storage
Change data collection or data management practices
Develop new workflows
Use vendors or consulting services to install or integrate AI
Other
None
If no to 30, ask 37:
Why does this business not plan to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) during the next six months in producing goods or services?
Select all that apply.
Too expensive
AI is not a mature enough technology yet
Lack of knowledge on the capabilities of AI
Concerns about privacy/security
Concerns about bias
Lack of skilled workforce
Lack of required data
Laws and regulations prevent or restrict use of AI
Previous or current use of AI did not meet expectations
Other
AI is not applicable to this business
Would you like to provide any information about your responses to these questions or this business?
Remarks (500 characters)
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This collection has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The eight-digit OMB approval number is 0607-1022 and appears in the lower left corner of each reporting screen. Without this approval, we could not conduct this survey.
Authority and Confidentiality
Title 13, United States Code, Sections 131 and 182, authorizes the U.S. Census Bureau to conduct this collection and to request your voluntary assistance. The Census Bureau is required by Section 9 of the same law to keep your information confidential and use your responses only to produce statistics. The Census Bureau is not permitted to publicly release your responses in a way that could identify your business, organization, or institution. Per the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015, your data are protected from cybersecurity risks through screening of the systems that transmit your data.
Burden Estimate Statement
We estimate the Business Trends and Outlook Survey will take an average of 17 minutes to complete. Factors such as company size, complexity and activity will affect your actual time to complete the survey. This estimate includes the time to review instructions, search existing data sources, gather and maintain the data needed, and complete and review the survey.
You may email comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: [email protected]. Be sure to use “EID Survey Comments 0607-1022” as the subject.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Kathryn Bonney (CENSUS/EID FED) |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2023-09-11 |