AI for Main Street Act

Sponsor: Mark Alford (Republican-MO)

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Introduced

In Committee

Passed One Chamber

Passed Both Chambers

Signed into Law

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Small businesses would get help using artificial intelligence from local centers.

This bill, called the "AI for Main Street Act," would require local Small Business Development Centers to offer guidance and training on artificial intelligence. This means small business owners could get help understanding how to use AI to improve their operations, protect data, and boost customer trust. However, these centers would need to provide these new services without extra money set aside by Congress.

What Would Change

Today, Small Business Development Centers offer general business advice but are not specifically required to help with artificial intelligence. If this bill becomes law, these centers would be required to provide specific information, training, and outreach to small businesses on how to use AI for things like improving operations, protecting data, and boosting cybersecurity, all without new dedicated funding.

Key Provisions

Requires local Small Business Development Centers to help small businesses use artificial intelligence in their operations.
Mandates that this help includes training on best practices for AI, protecting data and intellectual property, improving cybersecurity, and boosting customer trust.
Requires these centers to reach out to small businesses about available AI assistance, as much as is practical.
Defines "artificial intelligence" for the Small Business Act by referring to an existing federal law.
States that no new money would be set aside by Congress to pay for these new requirements.