The programs, announced Wednesday (May 6) in partnership with nonprofits Generation and Scholarship America, are designed to help small businesses embed “practical” AI skills into their day-to-day operations.

“AI can be a powerful tool for small businesses when it’s used in practical, everyday ways,” said Jennifer Skyler, chief corporate affairs officer at American Express. “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.”

AI Upskilling for Small Business, created by Generation, is open to small businesses worldwide, with courses offered in English and Spanish and grounded in real-world applications.

“Informed by pilot programs, the curriculum reflects common operational needs and helps teams quickly apply AI in ways that drive impact,” the release said.

Smart Futures for Small Business Scholarships, from Scholarship America, provides eligible small business workers based in America with scholarship funding for AI certification programs from vendors or accredited educational institutions around the U.S.

To complement the training program, the American Express Foundation is providing up to $1,000 for eligible U.S. small business employees who are planning to pursue courses or certificate programs in AI.

In other small business news, recent PYMNTS Intelligence research shows that while these businesses depend heavily on credit, their priorities are changing.

“Access matters, of course,” PYMNTS wrote last month. “Yet many firms now seem more focused on practical features such as installment options, dynamic spending limits, flexible due dates and card controls that reflect how money actually moves through the business.”

This shift, the report added, provides a new opening for issuers. In a market where many small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) feel they can already secure credit, product design could carry more weight than simple approval.

The research finds that SMBs are not spending much time worrying about whether they can get approved for a new business card, but are rather comparing options and seeking out products that might provide greater value.

Close to two-thirds of SMBs said they believe they would be approved for a new business credit card within their desired spending range, and a little less than 20% said they might be approved, though not for the full amount. That confidence climbs to 96.1% for higher-revenue SMBs.

“That changes the competitive landscape for issuers,” PYMNTS added. “Once approval stops being the main concern, features, pricing and flexibility move to the center of the sales pitch.”