FRANKLIN, TN — Columbia State Community College will host “AI for Small Business,” a one-day conference designed to help entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals learn how to leverage artificial intelligence to streamline operations, strengthen marketing efforts and improve productivity.
The conference will take place Friday, Oct. 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Columbia State’s Williamson Campus in Franklin. Registration is $75 per person and includes lunch.
As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the business landscape, small businesses are increasingly looking for practical ways to incorporate AI tools into their daily operations. The conference will provide attendees with real-world strategies and demonstrations focused on improving efficiency, enhancing customer engagement and supporting business growth.
“Artificial intelligence is no longer a technology reserved for large corporations,” said Dr. Mehran Mostajir, Columbia State dean of the Business and Technology Division and assistant professor of Engineering Systems Technology. “This conference is designed to help small business owners and professionals understand how AI can be applied in practical ways to save time, increase productivity and strengthen their competitive advantage.”
Conference topics will include:
• Creating marketing materials with AI
• Customer communications
• Back-office operations
• Teaching AI to build and transform websites with personality
• Solving business problems using AI
The conference keynote address, “Recent Developments in AI Applied to Your Practice,” will be presented by Dr. Jesse Spencer-Smith.
The event is intended for small business owners, entrepreneurs, startup founders, self-employed professionals, managers, team leaders and professionals working in marketing, operations and sales. Individuals interested in learning more about the business applications of artificial intelligence are also encouraged to attend.
The conference supports Columbia State’s growing leadership in artificial intelligence education and workforce development. Earlier this year, the college received a $2.02 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education to establish a new AI division through the COMPASS initiative, or Community College Operational Model for Promoting AI Student Success. The initiative is designed to build institutional capacity for AI while expanding AI literacy, workforce readiness and community engagement opportunities throughout the region.
“Through initiatives like COMPASS and events such as AI for Small Business, Columbia State is helping ensure that students, employees and business leaders have access to the knowledge and tools needed to thrive in an AI-driven economy,” Mostajir said.
Registration is now open at https://qrco.de/bgsVsw. To learn more about our Workforce and Continuing Education programs, visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/
