OpenAI Partners With America’s SBDC to Train 1,000 Small Businesses in AI
Updated
Updated · OpenAI · Sep 30
OpenAI Partners With America’s SBDC to Train 1,000 Small Businesses in AI
3 articles · Updated · OpenAI · Sep 30
Summary
OpenAI said the pilot will train about 150 America’s SBDC advisors and deliver in-person AI workshops aimed at reaching at least 1,000 small businesses across the U.S.
The program pairs advisor credentialing with three-hour hands-on sessions and practical guides, so owners can test ChatGPT on real tasks and get follow-up help from local SBDC staff.
A new OpenAI report released alongside the partnership said about 4 million employees at firms with fewer than 500 workers used its tools during Sept. 9-15, with nearly one in five at businesses with under 10 employees.
The report also found agentic output tokens made up two-thirds of small-business output in August, up from one-third in April 2026, with finance, supply chain, legal and marketing standing out as heavy-use areas.
The SBDC tie-up extends OpenAI’s broader small-business push after AI Jams in five U.S. cities last year and a ChatGPT for small business program launched in July 2026.