Alford, Scholten Introduce Bipartisan AI for Main Street Act – ExecutiveGov

Report on the ‘AI for Main Street Act’ and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

A bipartisan legislative proposal, the ‘AI for Main Street Act’, has been introduced by Representatives Mark Alford and Hillary Scholten. This report analyzes the act’s objectives and its significant alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The legislation mandates the Small Business Administration (SBA) to facilitate the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies within small enterprises, aiming to foster inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Key Objectives of the Legislation

The primary goal of the act is to bridge the technological gap between large corporations and small businesses, ensuring equitable access to innovation. This is achieved through several key actions:

• Mandating the SBA’s Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) to provide direct guidance to small enterprises on selecting and integrating AI technologies.
• Expanding targeted training, guidance, and outreach programs to ensure entrepreneurs can effectively leverage AI for operational efficiency and growth.
• Scaling existing successful programs, such as America’s SBDC AI U, to a national level to maximize impact.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The ‘AI for Main Street Act’ directly supports the achievement of several critical SDGs by promoting equitable access to technology and fostering economic resilience.

1. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   The act promotes sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth by empowering small businesses, which are critical drivers of local economies. By providing them with AI tools and training, the legislation aims to:

   • Increase productivity and competitiveness of small enterprises.
   • Foster job creation and secure decent work.
   • Stimulate local economic development and diversification.

2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   This legislation is a direct effort to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation. It specifically targets upgrading the technological capabilities of the small business sector, thereby:

   • Enhancing access to information and communications technology.
   • Supporting domestic technology development and innovation.
   • Facilitating the integration of small-scale enterprises into national and global value chains.

3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   A core tenet of the bill is to reduce the growing disparity in technological capacity between large corporations and small businesses. This directly addresses the goal of reducing inequality within the country by:

   • Ensuring small businesses are not left behind in a technologically advancing economy.
   • Providing resources and education to empower marginalized entrepreneurs.
   • Promoting a more equitable distribution of the economic benefits derived from AI.

4. SDG 4: Quality Education

   The emphasis on providing “resources, education, and training” aligns with the goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities. The act will contribute by offering specialized vocational and technical training to the small business workforce, preparing them for the industries of the future.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the “AI for Main Street Act” connects to several Sustainable Development Goals by focusing on economic growth, technological advancement for small enterprises, and reducing inequalities.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  This goal is relevant because the bill aims to support small businesses, which are critical drivers of job creation and economic vitality. By providing them with the tools to adopt AI, the legislation seeks to enhance their productivity and competitiveness, contributing to sustainable economic growth.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  The article directly addresses this goal by focusing on bridging the technological gap for small enterprises. The “AI for Main Street Act” is a form of policy infrastructure designed to upgrade the technological capabilities of a key industrial sector (small businesses) and promote innovation by facilitating the adoption of AI.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  A central theme of the article is the “AI gap” between large corporations and small businesses. The bill explicitly aims to ensure small businesses “aren’t being left behind,” thereby addressing economic inequalities that arise from unequal access to transformative technologies and the resources needed to implement them.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The legislation mandates providing “guidance, training, and outreach” as well as “resources, education and training” for entrepreneurs. This aligns with SDG 4’s emphasis on promoting lifelong learning opportunities and providing relevant technical and vocational skills needed for entrepreneurship and success in a changing economy.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s description of the “AI for Main Street Act,” several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 8.3 (under SDG 8)

   “Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises…” The act is a development-oriented policy specifically designed to support small enterprises by fostering innovation (AI adoption) and enhancing their productive activities.

2. Target 9.3 (under SDG 9)

   “Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises… to financial services… and their integration into value chains and markets.” While not directly providing financial services, the bill increases access to critical support services (guidance, training) through Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), which helps small businesses integrate new technologies and become more competitive in their markets.

3. Target 10.2 (under SDG 10)

   “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all…” The bill aims to empower small businesses for greater economic inclusion in an AI-driven economy, preventing a scenario where they are excluded from the benefits of technological progress enjoyed by larger corporations.

4. Target 4.4 (under SDG 4)

   “By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.” The bill’s mandate to provide education and training on AI directly contributes to this target by equipping entrepreneurs and their employees with the relevant technical skills needed to utilize artificial intelligence effectively.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not mention official SDG indicators, but it implies several metrics that could be used to measure the success of the “AI for Main Street Act” and progress towards the identified targets:

• Number of small businesses receiving support

  An implied indicator for Target 8.3 and 9.3 would be tracking the number of small enterprises that receive guidance and training from the SBDCs. This would measure the direct outreach and implementation of the program.

• Rate of AI adoption among small businesses

  To measure progress towards Target 9.3 and 10.2, one could track the percentage of small businesses that successfully integrate AI technologies into their operations after the bill’s implementation. A key indicator would be the change in the “AI gap” between small and large businesses over time.

• Number of individuals trained

  For Target 4.4, a direct indicator would be the number of entrepreneurs and employees who complete the AI education and training programs offered through the SBDCs. This would quantify the upskilling effort mandated by the bill.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: executivegov.com