Business · AI and operations
Owner’s AI Playbook: AI for small business
Six lessons built on SBA, NIST, FTC, business.gov.au, OAIC and ICO guidance: how AI tools work, choosing your first tasks, protecting data, a one-page AI policy, honest marketing and a 30-day pilot.
About this course
AI for small business: a practical playbook for owners.
Starter · About 1.75 hours of learning · 6 lessons · 17 quick checks · 2 downloads
Who it's for
Owners and managers of existing small businesses in the US, Australia, the UK and elsewhere who want to start using AI tools safely.
How it works
6 guided lessons in your browser, with worked examples, exercises and a quick check after each lesson. Progress is saved in this browser only, and you can restart at any time. Lesson 1 is open to everyone, and you can take one whole course without an account. After that, a free account lets you continue past lesson 1.
Sources we rely on
19 published sources, mostly regulators and official bodies, listed below so you can check the original guidance yourself.
By the end you can
- Explain how generative AI tools produce answers and why their output must be checked
- Score your business’s tasks and choose two or three safe first uses
- Set data rules for AI tools and check training settings on your account type
- Draft a one-page AI policy and a public line on how you use AI
- Run a 30-day pilot and make a keep, change or stop decision
Downloads
- AI starter pack: scoring sheet and pilot log .xlsxA use-case scoring sheet (value, checkability, harm, data sensitivity) with the Harbor Lane example, a green/amber/red data-rules sheet and a 30-day pilot log.
- One-page AI policy template .docxSix sections (tools, data rules, human review, honesty, records, training) with prompts and the fictional Harbor Lane example, plus a public “how we use AI” line.
Rules by country
Learning time
About 1.75 hours of learning. May count towards your CPD or professional development; check your professional body's rules. Estimated from reading time, exercises, quick checks and downloads.
Sources
Check the originals.
Drafted with AI assistance and run through automated quality and source checks. How these courses are made. Spotted an error or out-of-date rule? Send a correction.
General education only, not legal, tax, financial, securities or investment advice, and no promise of income or results. Rules differ by country and change; check the official sources linked in each course and talk to a qualified adviser about your situation.
- AI for small business · U.S. Small Business Administration
- Generative Artificial Intelligence Profile, NIST AI 600-1 · National Institute of Standards and Technology (US)
- Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0), NIST AI 100-1 · National Institute of Standards and Technology (US)
- Artificial intelligence (AI) · business.gov.au (Australian Government)
- Guidance on privacy and the use of commercially available AI products · Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
- Protecting Personal Information: A Guide for Business · Federal Trade Commission (US)
- Privacy and Security · Federal Trade Commission (US)
- Data Controls FAQ · OpenAI Help Center
- Enterprise privacy at OpenAI · OpenAI
- Enterprise data protection in Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft Copilot Chat · Microsoft Learn
- Generative AI in Google Workspace Privacy Hub · Google Workspace Admin Help
- AI and cyber security: what you need to know · National Cyber Security Centre (UK)
- Guidance on AI and data protection · Information Commissioner's Office (UK)
- Guide to the UK GDPR: lawful basis · Information Commissioner's Office (UK)
- FTC Announces Crackdown on Deceptive AI Claims and Schemes · Federal Trade Commission (US)
- Advertising and Marketing Basics · Federal Trade Commission (US)
- Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule: Questions and Answers · Federal Trade Commission (US)
- False or misleading claims · Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
- Age Discrimination · U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Publisher
Who publishes this course.
Published by trainyourself.org, a trading name of Combine TRS Pty Ltd (ABN 42 112 983 678), Brisbane, Australia.
How it's made: drafted with AI assistance from published official business and regulator guidance, then run through automated quality checks against our course depth standard and automated source checks that match each rule to its official source, listed above. Read how these courses are made.
Last updated:
General information, not tax, accounting, legal or professional advice. Spotted an error or an out-of-date rule? Send us a correction.
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