AI for Small Businesses: From Data to Decisions

Discover practical ways to use AI and data to make better decisions, improve operations, and grow your business. Join us on Wednesdays for this small business workshop! A four-part workshop series designed to help Moreno Valley small businesses understand how artificial intelligence and data can support better business decisions, improve operations, and create new opportunities for growth. Participants will identify real business challenges, explore practical AI and data applications, build new skills using curated learning resources, and connect with Moreno Valley College programs, resources, and pathways. Dates • October 7 I 5:00 PM I Business and Employment Resource Center • October 28 I 5:00 PM I Moreno Valley Community College • November 18 I 5:00 PM I Moreno Valley Community College • December 9 I 5:00 PM I Business and Employment Resource Center Session 1 — Business and Employment Resource Center What’s Working, What’s Not? Identifying Your Business Challenges This interactive kickoff session will focus on understanding the real challenges local businesses are facing and how they currently use AI, technology, and business data. Participants will identify operational pain points, discuss the types of data they currently collect, and share the business questions they would most like help solving. The information gathered during this session will help shape the remaining workshops around the actual needs of participating businesses. Session 2 — Moreno Valley College / CTE Advisory Turning Business Challenges into AI & Data Opportunities This session will bring the information collected during Session 1 into the Moreno Valley College CTE Advisory environment. Participants, faculty, industry partners, and other stakeholders will review common business challenges and explore where AI, data science, and other technologies may offer practical solutions. This will also help us identify opportunities to connect business needs with MVC faculty, students, programs, and future project-based learning. Session 3 — Moreno Valley College Putting AI to Work: Practical Tools and Skills for Small Business This hands-on learning session will move participants from discussion into application. Based on the needs identified in the first two sessions, participants will explore practical AI and data tools and complete selected learning activities using resources such as IBM SkillsBuild. The focus will be on practical applications such as customer insights, marketing, forecasting, operations, inventory planning, cybersecurity, and other needs identified by the cohort. Session 4 — Business and Employment Resource Center From Learning to Action: Small Business AI Showcase & Certificate Celebration Any person with a disability who requires a modification or accommodation in order to participate in these activities should direct such requests to the ADA Coordinator, at 951.413.3350 at least 72 hours before the activity.