Congress Has a Chance to Put AI Within Reach of Every Small Business in America

By Kekeletso Nkele, small.news Assistant

(small.news) — For more than 60 years, National Small Business Week has honored the owners who drive innovation, create jobs, and anchor communities across America, reports ITIC.

This year, Congress can build on that legacy at no cost by passing four bipartisan bills that would finally give small businesses real access to artificial intelligence.

The Gap Is Real and Growing

Small businesses aren’t slow to adopt AI because they’re resistant to change. They’re slow because they’re stretched. One person wearing five hats doesn’t have time to evaluate a dozen competing tools, assess the risks, train staff, or figure out which vendor is actually trustworthy. Meanwhile, large competitors with dedicated IT teams and innovation budgets are moving fast.

That gap between businesses that can afford to experiment and those that can’t is widening. If left unaddressed, AI risks becoming another advantage that compounds existing inequality between large corporations and the small businesses that employ nearly half of America’s private-sector workforce.

Four Bills, One Goal: Make AI Accessible and Understandable

A bipartisan, bicameral package of four bills aims to close that gap not through mandates or regulation, but through education, guidance, and trusted institutions.

H.R. 5784 — the AI WISE Act, championed by Representatives Hillary Scholten and Troy Downing, would require the Small Business Administration to establish and maintain educational resources and modules on AI tools, and would also create an advisory working group to keep those SBA resources relevant and useful for small businesses over time.

H.R. 3679 — the Small Business Artificial Intelligence Advancement Act, led by Representatives Mike Collins and Haley Stevens, would direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop or identify generally applicable, technology-neutral resources for small businesses that want to address concerns about using AI, and would require NIST to coordinate with the SBA and update those resources at least every two years.

S. 3586 / H.R. 5764 — the AI for Mainstreet Act, led in the Senate by Senators Todd Young and Maria Cantwell and in the House by Representatives Mark Alford and Hillary Scholten, would help Small Business Development Centers guide small businesses in evaluating AI, including offering advice on using AI tools, planning for unexpected circumstances, and following best practices.

S. 3888 — the Small Business Artificial Intelligence Training Act of 2026, introduced by Senators Jerry Moran and Maria Cantwell, would require the U.S. Department of Commerce to work with the SBA to create and distribute AI training resources and tools so that small businesses can leverage AI in their operations. The act would also establish a grant program to support the development of those training resources while allowing philanthropic contributions to supplement them.

Why This Approach Is Worth Supporting

What makes this package credible is what it doesn’t do. It doesn’t create new bureaucracies. It doesn’t impose one-size-fits-all mandates on businesses that are already over-regulated. Instead, it routes support through institutions, such as the SBA, NIST, and Small Business Development Centers that small business owners already know and, in many cases, already trust.

That matters more than it might seem. One of the biggest barriers to AI adoption isn’t awareness; most small business owners have heard of AI. It’s knowing who to trust. A recommendation from a familiar institution carries far more weight than a cold vendor pitch or a government website nobody has visited before.

The Urgency Is Real

There is a reasonable case that legislation like this is overdue. AI is not an emerging technology on a distant horizon; it is already reshaping how businesses compete, hire, market, and serve customers. Every month that passes without accessible guidance is a month in which the adoption gap compounds.

Congress must act now. The tech industry has its interests, but at stake here are the futures of millions of small businesses. The time for debate is over; the time for action is now. Every day of delay risks leaving more small businesses behind. Congress should pass these four bipartisan bills and ensure every small business in America can access the AI tools and support they deserve.

These bills are bipartisan. The need is urgent. Congress must seize this moment and act before the window closes.