Draft Supplemental Draft Supplemental Content

Welcome to the Business Trends and Outlook Survey

Core with Supplemental Content V2 for Cycle 2

August 23, 2023

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]

1. 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:

2. 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

3. 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

4. Between MMM DD – MMM DD, how did this business’s number of paid employees change?

• Increased

• Decreased

• No change

5. Between MMM DD – MMM DD, how did the total number of hours worked by this business’s paid employees change?

• Increased

• Decreased

• No change

6. 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

7. 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

8. How would you describe this business’s current inventories?

   • Larger than optimal

• Optimal

• Smaller than optimal

• Not applicable

9. Between MMM DD – MMM DD, how did demand for this business’s goods or services change?

• Increased

• Decreased

• No change

10. Between MMM DD – MMM DD, how did the prices this business charges for its own goods or services change?

• Increased

• Decreased

• No change

11. Between MMM DD – MMM DD, how did the prices this business pays for goods or services change?

• Increased

• Decreased

• No change

12. 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

13. 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

14. Six months from now, how do you think you will describe this business’s performance?

• Excellent

• Above average

• Average

• Below average

• Poor

15. Six months from now, how do you think this business’s number of paid employees will have changed?

• Increased

• Decreased

• No change

16. 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

17. 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

18. Six months from now, how do you think you will describe this business’s inventories?

• Larger than optimal

• Optimal

• Smaller than optimal

• Not applicable

19. Six months from now, how do you think demand for this business’s goods or services will have changed?

• Increased

• Decreased

• No change

20. 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

21. Six months from now, how do you think the prices this business pays for goods or services will have changed?

• Increased

• Decreased

• No change

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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:

25. 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:

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

27. 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

28. In the last six months, how did the use of Artificial Intelligence affect this business’s total employment?

• Increased

• Decreased

• Did not change

29. 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

30. 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:

31. 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

32. 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:

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

34. 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

35. 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

36. 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:

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

38. Would you like to provide any information about your responses to these questions or this business?

Remarks (500 characters)

39. For future Business Trends and Outlook Survey requests, please provide your preferred contact information:

Contact name:

Contact title:

Email:

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: econ.btos@census.gov. Be sure to use “EID Survey Comments 0607-1022” as the subject.

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