Google to provide every US small business with free access to the program

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA — February 19, 2026 —Today Google launched the Google AI Professional Certificate to equip people with the AI skills that are most in-demand by today’s employers. The program is based on labor market research from Burning Glass Institute and is validated by the Skills-First Workforce Initiative, a coalition of major U.S. employers including Walmart. To bridge the AI skills gap, Google is providing every U.S. small business with free access to the program, along with three months of Google AI Pro at no cost. This effort is supported by ADP, PayPal, and Verizon, who will distribute this training to millions of small businesses within their respective networks. Walmart will provide the training at no cost to Walmart and Sam’s Club associates. Employers including Colgate-Palmolive and Deloitte will also provide the training to their workforce at no cost.

New research from Ipsos and Google reveals a critical "AI Fluency Gap" in the U.S. workforce. While 70% of managers believe an AI-trained workforce is important for organizational success, the majority of workers are not currently receiving AI training. Only 40% of U.S. workers use AI at work, and only 5% of those users are considered AI fluent. Ipsos’s research finds that AI-fluent workers are 4.5x more likely to have received higher wages and are 4x more likely to report a promotion.

“The Google AI Professional Certificate translates the power of AI into tangible economic opportunity for every business and worker. Top employers like Walmart and universities across the country will use this training to help their teams and students succeed,” said Lisa Gevelber, Founder, Grow with Google. “By providing this program at no cost to U.S. small businesses, we’re ensuring that businesses of all sizes have the most up-to-date AI tools and training to empower their people, at every level, with the hands-on AI experience needed to thrive in today's workforce.”

“We’re making a choice to prepare our people for the changing work environment. We’re providing associates with the best tools and training, and this is another example of that,” said Donna Morris, Chief People Officer, Walmart. “Tools like this are helping our people embrace AI at work, unlock their creativity and drive growth for the business.”

The training covers foundational AI skills including brainstorming, communication, planning, and content creation alongside advanced AI skills including: 

  • Producing professional-grade images, videos, presentations and marketing materials
  • Conducting deep research to uncover key insights
  • Building infographics
  • Turning goals into comprehensive project plans and timelines
  • Cleaning, analyzing, and visualizing data to make smarter decisions
  • Vibe coding custom apps without writing a single line of code

"Fundamental AI skills are the new ‘driver’s license’ for the modern workforce, providing the foundational standard required to move from basic tool access to measurable productivity,” said Matt Sigelman, President, Burning Glass Institute. “By aligning cross-functional teams around employer-validated skill domains, we are building a unified operating system for talent that ensures every worker, and every organization, can thrive in an AI-enhanced economy."

Taught by AI experts at Google, the certificate is self-paced and can be completed in under 10 hours. It features over 20 hands-on activities where learners practice real-world tasks using skills that can be applied to any generative AI tool. 

For more information on the training, visit: grow.google/aiCert. And to access the small business scholarships and other AI resources visit: grow.google/smallbusiness.

Supporting Quotes

ADP
“We are excited to partner with Google to extend this training program to the nearly one million small businesses, and their teams, that we support,” said Matt Farwell, President of Small Business Services, ADP. “AI is already making a profound impact on work, and we’re focused on empowering small businesses and their people. Businesses that approach AI in an educated fashion stand to benefit from the technology’s true value of bringing people closer to the meaningful work they love doing, which is often the very work that led them down the path of entrepreneurship.”

Colgate-Palmolive
“At Colgate-Palmolive, we know AI is transforming our business, driving greater efficiency and enabling faster profitable growth,” said Bridget Davies, Global Learning Director, Colgate-Palmolive. “As part of our 2030 Strategy, we’re scaling AI globally and upskilling our people through resources like the Google AI Professional Certificate. We're empowering our people with the skills they need to navigate the rapidly moving AI frontier. The curriculum bridges the gap between theory and practice and helps our teams stay sharp, curious, and ready for what’s next."

PayPal
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and we know they’re eager to harness AI to grow and compete—but too often lack access to the right training,” said Michelle Gill, General Manager, Small Business and Financial Services, PayPal. “Through our partnership with Google, we’re helping close the AI fluency gap by delivering practical, high-quality AI training to millions of entrepreneurs and small business employees nationwide. By equipping them with in-demand AI skills, we’re empowering businesses to work smarter, move faster, and unlock new opportunities for growth.”

Verizon
“As AI fundamentally reshapes the workforce, our priority is to help everyone build the skills and confidence to thrive in an AI-driven economy,” said Donna Epps, Chief Responsible Business Officer of Verizon. “Our distribution of Google's AI Professional Certificate is a part of our broader commitment to enabling and strengthening an AI-skilled workforce. We’re proud to expand access to this free of charge AI skill-building tool to our small business customers, the small businesses we serve through our Small Business Digital Ready initiative, as well as our current and former management employees in the coming weeks.”

About Google
Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. Through Grow with Google, the company has trained more than 13 million Americans in digital skills since 2017.

About The Burning Glass Institute
The Burning Glass Institute advances data-driven research to provide the roadmap for a world where people can fulfill their potential through work.

About the Skills-First Working Group
The SFWI is a coalition of 12 major U.S. employers—including Walmart—dedicated to creating a shared language for skills in the modern workforce.