House Passes Bill to Provide AI Education for Small Businesses in Overwhelming Vote

In a significant move to support small businesses in the AI era, the House of Representatives passed the AI for Main Street Act Tuesday with overwhelming bipartisan support. The measure sailed through with a 395-14 vote, with just eleven Republicans and three Democrats opposing the legislation.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mark Alford (R-Mo.), directs the Small Business Administration (SBA) to expand its services through Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) to help entrepreneurs and small businesses understand and adopt artificial intelligence technologies.

“Main Street stands at the doorstep of a major transformation because the AI revolution isn’t just coming, it’s already here,” Alford said in a statement following the bill’s passage. “We’re ensuring entrepreneurs and job creators aren’t left behind.”

The legislation aims to address a growing concern in the business community that AI adoption could widen the gap between large corporations and smaller enterprises. While tech giants and major companies have the resources to quickly integrate AI into their operations, small businesses often lack the knowledge, training, and financial capacity to do the same.

“We want small business owners to understand not only what AI can do, but how to use it securely, safely, ethically and effectively,” Alford emphasized during his floor speech advocating for the bill.

The AI for Main Street Act builds upon the existing framework of SBDCs, which already provide assistance to small businesses in areas such as accessing capital, business planning, and personnel management. According to the SBA, there are at least 900 service locations coordinating 62 SBDC centers nationwide. These centers will now be tasked with providing AI-specific training and outreach to small businesses.

Notably, the legislation does not allocate additional funding for these new responsibilities, instead directing the SBA to incorporate AI education into its current programming. This aspect may raise questions about implementation as SBDCs take on expanded duties without supplementary resources.

The bipartisan support for the bill reflects growing recognition across party lines that AI represents both an opportunity and a challenge for America’s small business sector, which employs nearly half of the U.S. private workforce and creates approximately two-thirds of net new jobs.

Small businesses have historically struggled to adopt new technologies at the same pace as larger competitors. A 2023 survey by the National Federation of Independent Business found that while 87% of small business owners believe AI will impact their operations in the next five years, only 14% reported having a strategy for implementation.

The legislation comes as the United States faces increasing international competition in AI development, particularly from China. Policymakers have expressed concerns about maintaining American technological leadership while ensuring that the benefits of AI are broadly distributed across the economy.

“This bill is about empowering people, not replacing them,” Alford noted, addressing widespread concerns about AI’s potential impact on jobs and small business viability.

Business technology experts have pointed out that AI tools could help small businesses compete more effectively by automating routine tasks, improving customer service, and enabling data-driven decision-making—if business owners receive proper guidance on implementation.

Having cleared the House with strong support, the AI for Main Street Act now moves to the Senate for consideration, where it will need to pass before reaching the President’s desk for signature. The bill represents one of several legislative efforts in Congress aimed at addressing various aspects of America’s AI readiness.