AI for professionals · Free
AI for Small Business Owners
Put AI to work in a small business: what it can do and where to start, prompting and the risks, choosing an assistant, building a website and store with AI, content and images, WhatsApp and customer-service agents, automating busywork, research with Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) and Gems, and simple accounts and a CRM.
Inside the course
From the lessons
What AI can do for a small business
GoDaddy
Prompts, risks, and choosing an assistant
GoDaddy
A website and an online store with AI
Stewart Gauld
Content, social posts and images
Stewart Gauld
WhatsApp, Meta AI and customer service agents
Stewart Gauld
Automating the busywork
Stewart Gauld
Lesson frames belong to the creators named in the Credits below and are shown from YouTube.
What you will learn
Choose where AI will save your business time and where it must not decide; write prompts that produce usable drafts; judge the risks and pick an assistant; build and check a website or store with AI; plan and draft a month of content and images; set up a customer-service agent that hands over to a person; automate repetitive copying between apps; research and plan with Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) and Gems; and use AI to read your accounts and keep a simple CRM, while protecting customer data.
- Choose the tasks where AI will save your business time, and the ones it must not decide
- Write prompts that produce usable drafts, and choose an assistant that fits your tools
- Build and check a website or online store with AI
- Plan and draft a month of posts and product images honestly
- Set up a customer-service agent that hands over to a person
- Automate repetitive copying between apps with Make.com and Google Sheets
- Research with Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) and Gems, read your accounts with AI, and keep a simple CRM
- Protect customer data under data-protection law, with India's DPDP Act 2023 as the worked example
For you
Taking AI for Small Business Owners from the United States
- Free in the United States, as everywhere, and self-paced: lessons, notes and the final assessment are open at any hour, so your time zone and shift pattern do not matter.
- The optional certificate for learners in the United States is a one-off US$23.99. What you get for it
- Plants across the Americas most often run Allen-Bradley, Siemens and Inductive Automation; each has its own free course to take next.
- See automation and engineering jobs in the United States, and what the industry looks like in Houston, Detroit and Chicago.
- EDWartens also has a regional site for the United States, for classroom training and local support: edwartens.com/us.
The course project · about 6 hours
A 90-day AI plan for a small food business: adoption plan, tool and data register, risk register, message procedure and review
Plan and run the first steps of AI adoption for a small home-food business as its owner or adviser: choose the first tasks by hours saved and harm if wrong, record every AI tool and the data it touches, build a risk register, write the procedure for AI-drafted customer messages, and review the first month's results in hours and money. The sample pack shows each document for a millet-snacks business in Nakuru, Kenya.
Sample document pack, 5 documents, filled in for the scenario
- Plan90-day AI adoption plan: Mavuno Home Foods
- RegisterAI tool and data register
- Risk registerRisk register: AI use at Mavuno Home Foods
- ProcedureReplying to customers with AI help
- ReportFirst-month review: AI adoption, days 1 to 30
Read inside the course and download as a workbook. The project is optional practice, marked when you submit it; the certificate needs only the modules and the final assessment.
Course content
9 modules · 22 lessons · 3h 16m
In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last.
- 01What AI can do for a small business4 lessons11m
- 02Prompts, risks, and choosing an assistant4 lessons22m
- 03A website and an online store with AI2 lessons25m
- 04Content, social posts and images3 lessons32m
- 05WhatsApp, Meta AI and customer service agents2 lessons26m
- 06Automating the busywork2 lessons24m
- 07Research and planning with NotebookLM and Gems2 lessons22m
- 08Accounts and a simple CRM2 lessons31m
Requirements
- Who it is for
- Beginner. For small-business owners, managers and staff. No technical background, no coding.
- Software
- A free account on at least one AI assistant (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or Copilot), a Google account for Sheets, Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) and Gems, and free tiers or trials of the website, design and automation tools shown. Every exercise can be done without paying for anything. What to download, and how
- Hardware
- A laptop or desktop, and a phone for testing a store and WhatsApp.
Software you need
What to download, where from, what it costs and how to install it. Every link goes to the maker's own site, never a mirror.
Every exercise can be done without paying for anything.
Required
- 01Free
Google Sheets
Google, in the browser
- Runs on
- Web browser; apps for Android and iOS
- Account
- A free Google Account
Anyone with a Google Account can use Google Sheets free. Some Gemini features in Sheets need a paid Google Workspace plan.
Steps
- 1.Open Google Sheets and sign in with your Google Account, or create one.
- 2.Select Blank spreadsheet, or open a template.
- 3.Use File, Import to load the course's CSV or Excel file.
- 4.Your work saves automatically to Google Drive.
- 5.Use File, Download to save an .xlsx copy if needed.
- Most Excel formulas work the same in Sheets; a few functions have different names.
Open Google Sheetsworkspace.google.com - 02Free with limits
Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM)
Google, in the browser
- Runs on
- Any modern web browser, plus Android and iOS apps
- Account
- A free Google account (age verified)
Free with a personal Google account. Usage limits apply and paid Google AI plans give higher limits and extra features.
Steps
- 1.Open notebook.google (the old notebooklm.google address redirects there).
- 2.Sign in with your Google account and verify your age if asked.
- 3.Create a new notebook.
- 4.Add sources such as PDFs, web links or Google Docs, then ask questions about them.
- NotebookLM was renamed Gemini Notebook in July 2026. Existing notebooks and links still work.
- Only upload documents you have the right to share.
Open Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM)notebooklm.google
One AI assistant
Any one is enough.
- 03Free plan with limits
ChatGPT
OpenAI, in the browser
- Runs on
- Any modern web browser, plus mobile and desktop apps
- Account
- A free OpenAI account
The Free plan allows everyday text chats. File uploads, image creation, voice and data analysis have tighter limits than paid plans, and ads may appear in some countries. Paid plans raise the limits.
Steps
- 1.Open chatgpt.com.
- 2.Click Sign up and create an account with your email, or a Google, Microsoft or Apple account.
- 3.Verify your email and confirm your details.
- 4.Type your question in the message box.
- Do not paste personal data, passwords or confidential work files.
- ChatGPT tells you when you reach a limit. Wait for it to reset or switch to a lighter task.
Open ChatGPTchatgpt.com - 04Free plan with limits
Claude
Anthropic, in the browser
- Runs on
- Any modern web browser, plus desktop and mobile apps
- Account
- A free Claude account (you must be 18 or over)
The Free plan covers chat on web, desktop and mobile, web search, file creation and Artifacts. Usage limits reset on a rolling five-hour window and depend on message length and features used. Paid plans give more usage.
Steps
- 1.Open claude.ai (or see the plans at claude.com/pricing).
- 2.Sign up with your email or Google account and confirm your email.
- 3.Confirm you are 18 or over and accept the terms.
- 4.Type your question in the message box.
- Long conversations and large files use up your limit faster. Start a new chat for a new topic.
- Do not paste personal data or confidential work files.
Open Claudeclaude.com - 05Free with limits
Google Gemini
Google, in the browser
- Runs on
- Any modern web browser, plus Android and iOS apps
- Account
- A free Google account
Free with a Google account, including a Flash model, limited access to the Pro model, image generation, Deep Research and Gems. Paid Google AI plans give higher limits. Some features require you to be 18 or over.
Steps
- 1.Open gemini.google.com.
- 2.Sign in with your Google account.
- 3.Accept the terms the first time you use it.
- 4.Type your question or upload a file in the prompt box.
- Use a personal Google account. Work or school accounts depend on your administrator's settings.
Open Google Geminigemini.google.com - 06Free
Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat
Microsoft, in the browser
- Runs on
- Any modern web browser, plus Windows, macOS, Android and iOS apps
- Account
- None needed
Microsoft Copilot is free for individuals; you must be at least 13 (older in some countries). Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat is included at no extra cost for organisations with an eligible Microsoft 365 licence and needs a work or school (Microsoft Entra ID) account.
Steps
- 1.Open copilot.microsoft.com.
- 2.Optionally click Sign in and use your personal Microsoft account.
- 3.Type your question in the message box.
- 4.For work or school use, sign in at microsoft365.com with your organisation account and open Copilot Chat.
- Copilot Chat with a work or school account adds enterprise data protection. Use it for work material if your organisation provides it.
Open Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot Chatcopilot.microsoft.com
Optional
Useful, not needed to finish the course.
- 07Free plan with limits
Canva
Canva, in the browser
- Runs on
- Any modern web browser, plus desktop and mobile apps
- Account
- A free Canva account
The Free plan gives you Canva's editor and free templates, with up to 5 GB of storage for uploads. Premium templates, elements and some features need a paid plan.
Steps
- 1.Open canva.com and click Sign up.
- 2.Create a free account with your email, or a Google or Microsoft account.
- 3.Search for a template or start a blank design.
- 4.Download or share your design when finished.
- Items marked with a crown are paid. Filter for free items to avoid watermarks.
Open Canvacanva.com
Checked against each maker's own page on 27 September 2026. Trial lengths and editions change; the maker's page is the final word.
AI for Small Business Owners at a glance
AI for Small Business Owners is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for small business owners, shopkeepers, founders and freelancers. It has 9 modules and 3h 16m of video lessons by Stewart Gauld, GoDaddy, OpenAI, with written notes and worked problems, a practical project with a document pack and a 15-question final assessment (pass mark 60%). Learning is free with an account; an optional certificate with a public verification code is issued when you pass. Last updated 27 September 2026.
All course factsHide course facts
- Price
- Free, for good. No trial, no card. The only paid item is the optional certificate, a small one-off fee.
- Who it is for
- Small business owners, shopkeepers, founders and freelancers
- Format
- 9 self-paced modules, 3h 16m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
- Level
- Beginner. Beginner. For small-business owners, managers and staff. No technical background, no coding.
- Brand
- Vendor-neutral
- Software
- A free account on at least one AI assistant (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or Copilot), a Google account for Sheets, Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) and Gems, and free tiers or trials of the website, design and automation tools shown. Every exercise can be done without paying for anything.
- Hardware
- A laptop or desktop, and a phone for testing a store and WhatsApp.
- Certificate
- Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
- Video lessons by
- Stewart Gauld, GoDaddy, OpenAI (independent creators, credited below)
- Language
- English
- Last updated
- 27 September 2026
A shareable EDWartens certificate
Finish every module and pass the final assessment, and the optional EDWartens certificate is yours. It carries a unique verification code on a public page anyone can check, so it stands up when a recruiter looks it up. See it below.
The course itself stays free whether or not you ever buy one.
Stuck? Ask a practising engineer
A free course usually means a comment section and hope. This one does not. Every module has an Ask-your-trainer panel that reaches the same engineers who teach our paid programme: people who commission panels for a living, not moderators.
Pairs well with
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PLC programming · FreeSiemens TIA PortalFrom zero electrical knowledge to a working, simulated S7-1200 program, for nothing.
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PLC programming · FreeTIA Portal: Build a MachineOne machine, start to finish. Take a bottle filling line from a written specification and an I/O list to a structured S7-1200 program with a fill station, a capper, a reject sorter and an operator screen with alarms, then test it against a written record and archive it for hand-over. The lessons are the reference; the machine is yours, and it is what you submit.More free courses: Free AI courses for professionals · Free AI marketing courses
Learner reviews
No reviews yet
Reviews here are written only by learners who have finished every module of AI for Small Business Owners, and they are published exactly as written. Finish the course and yours will be the first.
Common questions
Who is the AI for Small Business Owners course for?
Owners, managers and staff of small businesses: shops, home businesses, restaurants, service firms and online sellers. No technical background is needed.
Do I have to pay for AI tools?
No. Every exercise can be done with free tiers or trials. The course shows how to work out whether a paid plan is worth it for your business before you buy.
Is this course tax or legal advice?
No. It shows how AI can help explain your accounts and draft documents, and it points out the laws a small business meets, such as data-protection law (India's DPDP Act 2023 in the examples) and consumer protection rules. Filings and legal questions stay with your accountant and adviser.
Is it only for businesses in one country?
No. Some examples use Indian law and businesses, but the lessons and tools work for small businesses anywhere.
Is the AI for Small Business Owners course really free?
Yes. Every module, the notes, the project and the final assessment. The only paid item is the certificate, if you want it.
What certificate does the AI for Small Business Owners course give?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a number anyone can verify on our site.
How long does the AI for Small Business Owners course take?
About 6 hours of video lessons, plus time for the notes, the practice questions and the final assessment. The optional project adds about 6 hours.
Who made the video lessons in the AI for Small Business Owners course?
GoDaddy's AI for small business course, Stewart Gauld's small-business tool tutorials and an OpenAI Academy lesson, credited on each module. None of them is affiliated with EDWartens, which wrote the notes, practice, project and assessments.
What you walk away with
Your certificate for AI for Small Business Owners
Finish the course, pass the final, and this is the document with your name on it.
Verifiable by anyone
Adds to LinkedIn in one click
QR code on the certificate
Names what you can do
A permanent link
Earned, not attended
Learning is free. The certificate is optional.
Add it now and pay only when you have finished the course, or come back for it later. One-off, US$23.99, with a receipt.
Issued by EDWartens, the training division of Wartens, as a Certificate of Completion for this self-paced course. Sold by Wartens Ltd (England and Wales). It is not a vendor certification, a university award or a CPD-accredited activity, and it does not certify competence on live equipment. Delivered electronically; see the refund policy.
Credits
Who made the video lessons
The video lessons in this course were created by the people below, not by EDWartens. Every lesson streams from its creator's own YouTube channel; EDWartens neither hosts nor sells that footage, and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens and do not endorse this course. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.
- Stewart Gauldthe small-business tool tutorials: choosing between Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT and Copilot, AI website and Shopify store builders, HubSpot and Canva AI content tools, Google's image editor, Meta AI for business, Jotform AI agents, Make.com automation, Gemini in Google Sheets, NotebookLM, Gemini Gems, accounting with Claude and Xero, and a no-code CRM with Softr
- GoDaddythe AI for small business course: what generative AI is, demo uses for a small business, prompting, risks and limitations, keeping up with change, and the wrap-up
- OpenAIthe OpenAI Academy lesson on how small businesses are using ChatGPT
If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.