Americans are building AI-powered businesses and careers. Google is helping.

Google supports businesses every step of the way – whether they’re getting listed online for the first time with Google Business Profile or using AI models like Gemini in Google Ads to build campaigns – Google is proud to offer digital solutions for small business owners in communities across the U.S. The tools businesses use every day – from Gmail to Search to Ads – are helping businesses increase productivity, reach the right customers, and optimize limited budgets. In 2023, Google Search, Google Play, Google Cloud, YouTube, and Google advertising tools* helped provide $739 billion of economic activity for millions of American businesses, nonprofits, publishers, creators, and developers.

Businesses like Thread Logic in Minnesota, owned by Jeff and Wenda Taxdahl, use Google’s free tools to grow. In fact, their business has grown seven times since using Google Ads. And in just one year AI-powered Performance Max helped them increase customer acquisition by 73 percent. Thread Logic now ships hundreds of thousands of products to customers across the country each year. They’re a long way from their basement operation, but their commitment to quality and customer service hasn’t changed.

At Google, we’ve been bringing AI into our products and services for over a decade and making them available to our users. Features like Smart Reply in Gmail or finding fuel efficient routes in Google Maps have been using AI to help people like Jeff and Wenda in the moments that matter. With a bold and responsible approach, we’re taking the next steps to make this technology even more helpful for everyone.

With AI tools like Gemini, every business owner now has extra help, freeing up time to innovate and grow. Among small business leaders using AI, 82% say AI will improve their business productivity in the next two years.³ Now in minutes instead of hours, business owners can produce business insights with Analytics Intelligence or quickly generate responses to customer questions with Gemini for Workspace. The time and costs saved can be reinvested into themselves and their business.

In addition to supporting businesses with our products, we’re committed to helping Americans get the skills needed to land good jobs or advance in their careers, and helping business owners upskill employees. Over 250,000 Americans have graduated from the Google Career Certificate program with job-ready skills in cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing and e-commerce, IT support, project management, and user experience design.

Among the certificate graduates is Scarlet Castillo Sanchez from Colorado, who had to relocate and find new work frequently due to her husband’s military job. Looking for a change, she enrolled in the Google Data Analytics Certificate. Within two months of earning her certificate, Scarlet landed a position as a quality data analyst at a communications company. This new role came with the flexibility to work from home, a 40 percent salary increase, and provided her and her husband the stability to start a family.

Americans nationwide are powering their careers and businesses with digital tools and skills, positively impacting the economic outcomes for their families and communities. AI's introduction unlocks new potential for economic impact and mobility. Research indicates that generative AI may help uplevel certain skills, enhance labor productivity, and democratize access to higher-paid occupations. With this opportunity, it's imperative that we work together to ensure the economic benefits of AI are shared. That will require a deliberate and collective effort across industries, governments, and civil society to build an AI-empowered workforce by investing in human capital, education, and training systems; and by helping small businesses adopt and use AI.

That’s why we made Google AI Essentials training available to help every American get the skills they need to thrive in an AI-powered economy. Taught by AI experts at Google, the course is designed to help people across roles and industries get fundamental AI skills, with zero experience required. Through these programs and collaboration with the private and public sector, our aim is to make AI helpful for everyone.

We’re proud that Google’s products are helping drive the success of American companies: supporting business growth, enabling businesses of all sizes to reach customers across the world, providing new platforms for independent creators to earn a living through, and increasing productivity for workers.

In this report, you’ll meet other businesses, creators, startups, and workers from across the U.S. that are using digital tools to grow their careers and businesses. We are committed to supporting them as they achieve their ambitions and helping every American benefit from the AI opportunity.