The AI Literacy Bills: What Small Businesses Need to Know

Congress just told the SBA to teach you AI

The U.S. House of Representatives passed two bills in January 2026 that require the Small Business Administration to build AI literacy programs for business owners. A third bill cleared committee and was referred to the Senate. And the Senate has its own companion legislation in the works.

If you own a small business and have been waiting for a clear, trustworthy starting point for AI adoption, the federal government is building one. Here is what these bills actually do, what resources are available right now, and how to start building AI literacy in your team today.

What Congress passed

Three House bills made it through in quick succession. Each addresses a different piece of the AI literacy gap.

The AI-WISE Act (H.R. 5784)

The Artificial Intelligence Wisdom for Innovative Small Enterprises Act requires the SBA to add AI literacy modules to its existing online learning platform. The resources must cover how AI tools work, their risks and limitations, privacy implications, and how to evaluate whether a tool is right for your business.

The bill also requires the SBA to coordinate with NIST and establish an expert advisory working group to keep the materials current as the technology evolves. The SBA has 180 days from enactment to get the resources online.

The AI-WISE Act passed by voice vote after the House Small Business Committee approved it 27-0. It now awaits Senate consideration.

The AI for Main Street Act (H.R. 5764)

This bill takes a more hands-on approach. It requires the SBA’s Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) to provide direct guidance, training, and outreach to help small businesses evaluate and adopt AI tools.

SBDCs already operate in every state. If you have used one for a business plan or loan application, the same network would now be required to offer AI training. The bill passed the House 395 to 14 — about as bipartisan as it gets.

The Small Business AI Advancement Act (H.R. 3679)

This bill directs NIST to develop AI resources specifically tailored to small businesses. It was referred to a Senate committee on February 24, 2026, and focuses on practical guidance rather than general education.

Why this matters for Appalachian businesses

All three bills are significant, but the AI for Main Street Act stands out for rural areas. SBDCs in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, and across Appalachia already serve as the primary business advisory resource for many owners. Requiring them to build AI competency means the training comes to you through a network you may already trust.

The Senate’s companion effort — the Small Business AI Training Act of 2026 introduced by Senators Cantwell and Moran — goes further by earmarking 25 percent of grant funding for rural and underserved communities. That is a direct pipeline to Appalachia.

The underlying problem is real. Research from the SBA Office of Advocacy shows that many small firms lack the technical expertise and structured training needed to integrate AI into their operations. The United States has 36.2 million small businesses employing 62.3 million Americans. Most do not have an IT department, let alone an AI strategy.

Free resources available right now

You do not have to wait for these bills to become law. Several free programs already exist.

SBA Learning Platform. The SBA already has an AI for Small Business resource hub with modules on evaluating AI tools, using AI for marketing and customer service, and understanding the SBA programs that fund AI development (including SBIR grants — we covered the latest round in our post on NIST’s $3.2 million in AI funding for small businesses).

SCORE mentoring. SCORE offers free one-on-one mentoring from 10,000 volunteers nationwide, and they have been adding AI-specific workshops throughout 2026. Topics range from using ChatGPT for marketing to building AI-driven growth strategies.

SBDC advisors. Even before the AI for Main Street Act becomes law, many SBDCs are already piloting AI training programs. Google backs an initiative called AI U through the SBDC network that provides one-on-one coaching.

How to build AI literacy in your team

Whether these bills pass the Senate this year or next, the direction is clear: AI literacy is becoming a baseline business skill. Here is how to start now.

Pick one process, not a platform. Choose one workflow that eats time — answering common customer questions, writing social media posts, scheduling appointments — and learn how AI handles that specific task. Trying to learn “AI” in the abstract is overwhelming. Learning how AI can draft email replies is not.
Use the free tools first. ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot all have free tiers. Spend a week using one of them for a single task before evaluating paid options.
Book a free SBDC or SCORE session. A 90-minute conversation with an advisor who understands your industry is worth more than 20 hours of YouTube tutorials. Find your local SBDC at sba.gov/local-assistance.
Set a 30-day checkpoint. After one month of using a tool, measure the results. Did you save time? Did customer response rates improve? Data beats opinions when deciding whether to expand your AI use.

What to watch for

These bills still need to pass the Senate. The bipartisan support in the House — 395-14 for the AI for Main Street Act — suggests the Senate may follow, but timing is uncertain. Watch for:

Senate committee hearings on any of the three House bills
SBA platform updates adding new AI modules (they have been expanding steadily)
SBDC announcements in your state about AI training programs

The legislative momentum is real. When even Congress agrees that small business owners need AI training — and agrees by a 395-14 margin — the question is not whether these resources are coming, but how soon.

If you want to get ahead of the curve rather than wait for government programs to launch, talk to our team about AI consulting or explore our small business AI solutions. We work with businesses across Appalachia to find the AI tools that fit their operations and budget.