A $5 million grant to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a new online course aim to equip 40,000 businesses with essential AI skills.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Google has announced a new set of investments aimed at scaling Artificial Intelligence (AI) education for small businesses across the United States. The announcement was made today at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO–100 Conference by Lisa Gevelber, founder of the Grow with Google initiative.
The new programs are part of Google’s “AI Works” initiative, which focuses on helping American businesses and workers utilize AI technology effectively.
$5 Million Grant for “Small Business B(AI)sics”
Google’s philanthropic arm, Google.org, is providing a $5 million grant to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This funding will be used to develop and launch a national AI training program called “Small Business B(AI)sics.”
The primary goal of the program is to equip 40,000 U.S. small businesses with foundational AI skills. This effort is supported by Google.org’s AI Opportunity Fund, which is dedicated to funding workforce development and education in essential AI skills.
New “Make AI Work for You” Course
In addition to the grant, Grow with Google is launching a new short course titled “Make AI Work for You.” The course is designed to help small business owners learn how to use AI for practical work tasks, such as creating sales pitch decks, developing advertising materials, and analyzing business results.
The curriculum, which features real-life case studies, is available online. U.S. small businesses can also attend in-person workshops hosted in partnership with local chambers of commerce across the country.
This announcement comes at a time when a majority of small business leaders report that AI tools are becoming critical to their success, using them for a wide range of functions from managing supplies to onboarding new employees.