TL;DR

OpenAI Academy is partnering with DoorDash, SCORE, and local business organisations to host the Small Business AI Jam—hands-on workshops across five US cities (San Francisco, New York, Houston, Detroit, Miami) training more than 1,000 small business owners to build AI tools. Participants range from restaurants and retailers to professional services and creative firms, with each leaving with at least one ready-to-use tool for tasks like marketing, customer communication, and operations streamlining.

Practical AI Implementation for Main Street Businesses

The Small Business AI Jam addresses a documented skills gap: OpenAI survey data shows 50% of small business owners say employee AI comfort is important, and 60% expect real efficiency gains from AI-skilled workers. However, many lack time, resources, or technical background to explore implementation. The workshop model provides direct access to OpenAI mentors for hands-on tool building tailored to specific business needs.

Participant demographics reflect Main Street diversity: approximately 20% are professional services (accounting, law firms), 20% food businesses (restaurants, caterers, food trucks), 10% retailers (clothing, convenience stores), 10% creative services (marketing, design firms), and 5% local services (repair, cleaning, salons, barbershops). Each will build tools addressing practical needs—drafting marketing materials, improving customer communication, streamlining operational tasks.

Chris Lehane, Chief Global Affairs Officer at OpenAI, frames the initiative as competitive equalisation: “Small businesses—the family restaurants that know your name, the small contractors that build our homes…the corner grocer we go to for our goods when we need them the most—these are the building blocks for a healthy neighbourhood and strong community. Put powerful AI tools in their hands, and you help them punch above their weight and unlock real productivity gains.”

Regional business support organisations are tailoring events to local needs, including Detroit Means Business, Texas Association of Business, Miami Dade College’s AI Center, Five Chamber Alliance (New York), and REN Center (San Francisco). Pre-event resources via OpenAI Academy cover AI fundamentals; post-event online communities enable continued learning and peer connection. A virtual Jam launches 4 December for those unable to attend in person.

Looking Forward

The initiative connects to OpenAI’s broader small business strategy: the “AI for Main Street” track within the upcoming OpenAI Certifications programme and OpenAI Jobs Platform aims to help businesses access AI-fluent talent long-term. OpenAI also endorsed two bipartisan Congressional bills this week providing clearer AI guidance and stronger training resources for small businesses. The workshop model—following recent Nonprofit AI Jam and Scientist AI Jam events—demonstrates a pattern of sector-specific AI democratisation, though scaling beyond 1,000 participants whilst maintaining hands-on quality remains the implementation challenge.

Source: OpenAI