A nationwide training program is taking shape for small business owners interested in using artificial intelligence to save time, grow revenue and reach new customers.
Announced by Google and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce earlier this month, the Small Business B(AI)sics initiative aims to reach 40,000 entrepreneurs over the next three years by offering in-person training, creating virtual resources and amplifying small business success stories.
While AI today may seem like a tool meant for tech-savvy companies, the Chamber wants small business owners to know that the technology will soon become essential to them.
“We are helping Main Street entrepreneurs embrace cutting-edge technology to make their companies stronger, more resilient and more competitive,” U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne P. Clark said in a post.
This knowledge gap identified by Google and the Chamber also showed up in the Forbes Research Small Business Survey, which captured the perspectives of 535 U.S. small business owners between January and March.
According to a survey, 35% identified upskilling employees to use AI as a top workforce challenge, while 27% identified implementing AI as their top technological challenge. Both challenges ranked second in their respective areas.
“Your greatest risk is your competitor figuring out how to use this stuff faster than you,” Christopher Turner, global head of government affairs and public policy at Google, said in a post announcing the launch.
Entrepreneurs can visit the U.S. Chamber’s digital platform to access upcoming events, sign up for interactive AI training modules and find on-demand resources.
Local chambers of commerce interested in conducting in-person training in their communities can contact foundation@uschamber.com.
