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SBDC expands AI 101 webinar series for small businesses

Serge Bulaev

Serge Bulaev

The SBDC is holding an AI 101 webinar for small businesses on May 21, 2026. The session will explain AI in simple terms, show how it might help save time and money, and give hands-on practice. The training may help owners find useful AI tasks, write better prompts, and protect data. It appears there is no fee, and registration is online. The event may be adjusted if there are any changes, and trainers might tailor examples for different types of businesses.

SBDC expands AI 101 webinar series for small businesses

The upcoming SBDC AI 101 webinar for small businesses offers a practical introduction to artificial intelligence. Official listings from the City of South Pasadena calendar and the Ventura Chamber of Commerce confirm the event, titled 'AI 101 for Small Businesses: What It Is, How It Works, and How to Use It to Save Time and Make Money,' will be offered as a live online workshop.

What the official listings confirm

Listings confirm the event is a live online workshop. While the city calendar provides the date, the Ventura Chamber of Commerce page includes full registration details and a direct sign-up link for the SBDC AI Webinar Series.

Key Statistics

The SBDC AI 101 webinar is an online workshop designed to give small business owners a practical introduction to artificial intelligence. It focuses on using AI tools to save time and money on business tasks, with no prior technical experience needed for attendees to benefit.

Curriculum focus

The webinar's curriculum follows a proven SBDC outline, beginning with simple definitions of AI before shifting to practical, efficiency-focused demonstrations. Key use cases include drafting customer emails, generating marketing content, and summarizing documents. A significant portion of the session is dedicated to hands-on practice.

The training is structured around five key learning objectives:
1. Identify high-value, low-risk AI tasks.
2. Write effective prompts that control tone, length, and format.
3. Spot hallucinations and verify outputs.
4. Protect customer and employee data during AI use.
5. Build a 30-day action checklist for follow-up.

Why the session matters

This training is timely, as AI adoption among California small businesses is rapidly growing. According to industry reports, a significant portion of businesses already use AI, with many expecting it to benefit their operations. However, with many businesses concerned about compliance costs from new regulations, this webinar offers a vital, low-cost opportunity to learn best practices and navigate the challenges of early adoption.

Registration and next steps

Small business owners can register for the webinar through the portal linked in the event details above. Upon registration, attendees receive a confirmation with the webinar link and a brief pre-event survey. This survey helps trainers tailor examples for specific industries, such as retail, professional services, and food service. While the City of South Pasadena calendar indicates no fee, attendees should monitor the page for any logistical updates.

What is the SBDC AI 101 webinar series and who can attend?

The SBDC AI 101 webinar series is a practical, no-cost introduction to artificial intelligence for small-business owners. Sessions are designed for anyone who wants to save time on daily tasks, improve customer service, or boost marketing without hiring extra staff. No tech background is required - the curriculum starts with everyday pain points and shows how free or low-cost AI tools can help.

When and how can South Pasadena businesses register?

The next session listed on the City of South Pasadena calendar is available for registration. Seats are limited and registration is handled through the same portal used by the wider SBDC network: simply visit https://bit.ly/EdcSbdcAIWebinarSeries and choose the South Pasadena date from the drop-down menu.

What exactly will I learn in the session?

You will leave with three ready-to-use prompts, a one-page data-safety checklist, and a 30-day action plan. Live demos cover:
- writing customer-reply emails in under two minutes
- turning a bullet list into a week of social posts
- summarizing long documents for quick team briefings
Each attendee practices in real time so the tools feel familiar before the session ends.

How do California small businesses benefit right now?

According to industry reports, a growing number of California small businesses already use an AI platform and many of them report higher sales after adoption. The SBDC series focuses on the same low-risk areas - marketing, customer support, and admin - that delivered those gains, so you can test AI without betting the company budget.

What about privacy and compliance worries?

Every workshop devotes a full segment to data-privacy best practices. You will receive a plain-language guide on what you can (and cannot) paste into public AI tools, plus a sample one-page AI usage policy you can adopt immediately. The goal is to keep you both productive and protected under California's evolving privacy rules.