American Express Launches New AI Training and Scholarship Programs for Small Businesses

WHY THIS MATTERS: This latest initiative from a global payments leader transcends typical philanthropic announcements to address a core structural issue facing the future of SME digitisation. The proliferation of Generative AI tools has created an enormous productivity opportunity, yet adoption among small businesses is often constrained not by cost, but by a demonstrable skills gap in how to apply these solutions effectively to daily operations. By focusing on practical upskilling across marketing, customer interactions, and general workflow efficiency, American Express is implicitly investing in the quality of its own client ecosystem. The ability of an SME to thrive in the modern financial landscape is increasingly tied to its operational sophistication. As financial institutions transition from merely offering credit and payments to embedding services deeper into business workflows, the success of those services relies on the end-user’s capacity to leverage them. This development serves as a value-first signal to the wider fintech community: driving meaningful growth for small businesses requires a concerted effort to close the AI-literacy divide, ensuring that the digital tools being built are actually utilized to unlock new revenue opportunities and operational efficiencies.

American Express today announced two new AI training and education initiatives, in collaboration with nonprofits Generation and Scholarship America, to help small businesses build practical AI skills in their day-to-day operations. AI Upskilling for Small Business, an AI training program created by Generation, is open to small businesses globally, with courses offered in English and Spanish. Smart Futures for Small Business Scholarships, administered by Scholarship America, provides eligible U.S.-based small business employees with scholarship funding for AI certification programs offered by vendors or accredited educational institutions nationwide.

“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.”

An Applied Approach to AI for Small Businesses

Developed in partnership with Generation, AI Upskilling for Small Business is a training program designed for small businesses 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.

“Generation programs support participants to practice and master the skills that make the biggest difference to them in their day-to-day work,” said Bonni Theriault, Chief Partnerships Officer at Generation. “We are delighted to partner with American Express to offer small business owners a chance to hone their AI skills and see real benefits in their work.”

The program offers three training tracks tailored to different roles and levels of AI familiarity:

• AI Generalist: A foundational primer plus targeted “Mini Missions” to apply AI across everyday tasks, with modules designed for seamless workflow integration.

• Digital Marketing: Applies AI to content creation, campaign optimization and insight generation to support efficiency and impact.

• Digital Customer Success: Uses AI to streamline customer interactions, resolve inquiries faster, and deliver more personalized experiences.

Across all training, the flexible, self-guided curriculum helps participants to use AI to work more efficiently. Topics include drafting customer communications, supporting marketing content and campaigns, streamlining daily tasks like summaries and organization, and turning research into insights, all while applying human judgment to review and refine outputs.

“One of the biggest program takeaways for me was realizing how powerful AI can be when used the right way, because it allowed me to do things that typically require a full team,” said Katy Kinch, Owner of Buttermilk Bakeshop. “I was able to analyze customer feedback, identify trends and track retention patterns from my living room, which gave me insights I wouldn’t normally have access to as a small business owner.”

Expanding Access Through the Smart Futures for Small Business Scholarship

To complement the training program, the American Express Foundation is also supporting Scholarship America to offer Smart Futures for Small Business Scholarships providing up to $1,000 for eligible U.S. small business employees who plan to pursue courses or certificate programs in AI.

“AI tools give small businesses a world of opportunity, and education and training ensure that their workforce is ready to meet the moment,” said Mike Nylund, President and CEO at Scholarship America. “We are proud to work with American Express to deliver scholarships to small business employees who are working to evolve their careers.”

Small business employers can nominate a member of their teams to apply for a scholarship and build new skills in AI that can have a ripple effect on both the business and employee’s potential.

How to Participate

Generation’s AI Upskilling for Small Business program offers multiple dates throughout the year. To learn more and register, visit Generation’s website.

Applications for the Smart Futures for Small Business Scholarship are administered by Scholarship America, and eligible U.S.-based small business employees can apply directly on the Scholarship America website through June 10, 2026.

FF NEWS TAKE: This move significantly advances the dialogue around embedded finance by treating operational literacy as a crucial layer of infrastructure. For an SME, the greatest barrier to leveraging Generative AI for growth is often knowing where to start. American Express is providing the “how-to,” which absolutely moves the needle by directly addressing the skills-gap chasm. We must watch for whether key competitors—particularly those focused on business banking and payments—respond by building similar upskilling into their platforms. The future of SME services will converge not just around transactions, but around providing the operational intelligence necessary for businesses to compete in the digital economy.