American Express opens free AI training to small firms as adoption gap widens

"American Express has thrown its weight behind the small business AI skills race, unveiling two training and education programmes designed to drag owner-managers and their staff out of the experimentation phase and into measurable productivity gains."

"The first, AI Upskilling for Small Business, is a free training programme delivered by Generation that is open to small firms anywhere in the world and taught in English and Spanish. The second, Smart Futures for Small Business Scholarships, is a US-only pot funded by the American Express Foundation that will hand eligible employees up to $1,000 (around £790) to spend on AI certification courses run by accredited vendors or educational institutions."

"Multiple recent surveys of UK and US small firms suggest that while curiosity is near universal, the share of owner-managers using AI tools in any structured way remains stubbornly low, with confidence and training cited as the principal blockers."

"“AI can be a powerful tool for small businesses when it's used in practical, everyday ways,” she said. “These initiatives were designed to help small businesses move from Gen AI exploration to practical application, equipping them to drive productivity and help unlock new opportunities for growth.”"

American Express is launching two programmes to improve AI skills among small business owner-managers and employees. One programme, AI Upskilling for Small Business, is free, delivered by Generation, and available worldwide in English and Spanish. The second programme, Smart Futures for Small Business Scholarships, is US-only and funded by the American Express Foundation, providing eligible employees up to $1,000 for AI certification courses from accredited vendors or educational institutions. The initiatives target a gap between interest in generative AI and real shop-floor competence. Surveys indicate that curiosity is widespread, but structured AI use remains low due to limited confidence and training. The Generation curriculum is refined through pilots and includes self-guided tracks for different roles and AI familiarity levels.

Read at Business Matters