S 3586 AI for Mainstreet Act 2026

Summary

Amends the Small Business Act to require small business development centers to assist small businesses with artificial intelligence use.

Directs these centers to offer information, guidance, and training on AI, covering best practices, operational integration, data protection, cybersecurity improvement, regulatory compliance facilitation, and customer trust enhancement.

Instructs centers to conduct outreach to small businesses regarding AI use to the extent practical.

Defines "artificial intelligence" according to the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020.

Specifies that no additional funds are authorized for implementing these provisions.

Requires small business development centers to assist small businesses with artificial intelligence use.

A BILL

To amend the Small Business Act to require small business development centers to assist small business concerns with the use of artificial intelligence, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``AI for Mainstreet Act''.

Amends the Small Business Act to assist small businesses with AI evaluation, guidance, and training.

SEC. 2. GUIDANCE ON THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS.

(a) In General.--Section 21(c)(3) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648(c)(3)) is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (T), by striking ``and'' at the end;

(2) in the first subparagraph (U) (relating to encouraging and assisting the provision of succession planning), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon;

(3) by redesignating the second subparagraph (U) (relating to providing training in conjunction with the United States Patent and Trademark Office) as subparagraph (V);

(4) in subparagraph (V), as so redesignated, by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and

(5) by adding at the end the following:

``(W) assisting small business concerns in evaluating artificial intelligence concerning operations, including by--

``(i) providing information, guidance, and training to small business concerns on the use of artificial intelligence, including--

``(I) best practices for using artificial intelligence;

``(II) using artificial intelligence to plan for unexpected circumstances, protect data and intellectual property, improve cybersecurity, facilitate regulatory compliance, and improve customer trust; and

``(III) incorporating artificial intelligence into business operations; and ``(ii) conducting outreach to the extent practical to small business concerns regarding the use of artificial intelligence.''.

(b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``(gg) Artificial Intelligence.--In this Act, the term `artificial intelligence' has the meaning given the term in section 5002 of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (15 U.S.C. 9401).''.

(c) No Additional Funds.--No additional amounts are authorized to carry out this Act or the amendments made by this Act.