OpenAI Partners With Local Business Advisors to Bring AI Training to 1,000 Small Businesses

Small-business owners will get a local route to learning ChatGPT through a partnership OpenAI and America’s SBDC announced on September 30, 2026. The pilot aims to reach at least 1,000 businesses through in-person training, pairing workshops with advisors who can help owners choose useful tasks and assess the results.

America’s SBDC represents 63 member organizations and nearly 1,000 local Small Business Development Centers nationwide. The network provides free, confidential business advising and training.

Train the advisor, then tackle the task

OpenAI plans to train around 150 advisors initially through OpenAI Academy’s Community Trainer Program. Its announcement describes two preparation tracks:

• An advisor training and credentialing pathway will cover useful starting points, responsible AI use and assessing business usefulness.
• A separate facilitator pathway and small-business workshop module will prepare advisors and staff to lead group sessions.

The partners plan at least one Academy Workshop at each participating SBDC network, modeled on a three-hour, hands-on format. Owners will test ChatGPT on real business tasks and leave with an implementation plan. Advisors will follow up afterward to address questions and check what proves useful.

The partners will also develop practical guides and an industry-focused companion guide, shaped by workshops and advising. Potential topics include marketing, operations, manufacturing, exporting and government contracting.

America’s SBDC says advisors and clients who complete the in-person workshops will receive free ChatGPT Plus access. The pilot will roll out in phases over the coming months, with further details announced as it approaches launch.

Existing use is not a training result

Alongside the partnership, OpenAI shared findings from Small Businesses, Bigger Capabilities. Its figures describe existing use of the company’s products worldwide, not results from this pilot.

One customer example offers a practical reference point. OpenAI describes Ted and Tami Taylor, who run three New Mexico restaurants, using ChatGPT Work to compare competitors’ menu prices. Ted says they would otherwise have skipped the comparison; the analysis helped them avoid increases that would have made some items uncompetitive.

The pilot’s test comes after the workshop

OpenAI says it will follow up with owners throughout the pilot to learn what helps, what they keep using and where they need more support. Those findings will shape subsequent training and resources.