AXP
AmEx wants to be more than a card in your wallet
American Express says it’s launching two new AI education initiatives for small businesses, teaming up with nonprofits Generation and Scholarship America. The pitch is pretty straightforward: help mom-and-pop operators and scrappy founders get practical with AI instead of treating it like a buzzword that only lives in keynote decks.
What’s in the new playbook?
The first program, AI Upskilling for Small Business, was created by Generation and is open to small businesses globally. It’ll offer courses in both English and Spanish, which is a nice reminder that the small-business economy is way bigger than Silicon Valley demo day energy.
The second, Smart Futures for Small Business Scholarships, is being administered by Scholarship America. AmEx didn’t just toss out a feel-good press release and call it a day — it’s trying to build a broader ecosystem around small-business support, training, and brand loyalty.
Why investors should care
This isn’t going to move the stock like a rate decision or an earnings beat, but it does tell you something about AmEx’s strategy. The company has long leaned on small businesses as a core customer base, and AI-themed support programs are a way to stay sticky without cutting prices or handing out gimmicky perks.
Big picture: AmEx is still doing what premium brands love most — making utility sound a little like magic while quietly trying to keep customers locked in for the long haul.