Bank of Ireland and Google have partnered to offer 10,000 fully-funded AI training scholarships to Irish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The initiative aims to accelerate AI adoption and enhance digital skills within the country’s SME sector.
The scholarships provide Bank of Ireland SME customers with free access to the Google AI Professional Certificate through the Grow with Google program. This move is designed to help businesses prepare for the EU AI Act, which comes into effect on August 2.
SME AI Academy Launches on ThinkBusiness
The scholarships are supported by the newly launched SME AI Academy on ThinkBusiness.ie. The academy offers practical guides, expert resources, and case studies from businesses already integrating AI into their operations.
According to Derek McDermott, director of Everyday Lending at Bank of Ireland, “SMEs need accessible, user-friendly tools to build their AI capability and confidence. By providing up to 10,000 Google AI scholarships, we can ensure practical and impactful AI support for our SME customers to really boost their business.”
The Google AI professional certificate is delivered via the online platform Coursera and requires less than 10 hours of total learning commitment. The course is designed for busy SMEs, with manageable one-hour modules in a flexible, self-paced format.
Practical Training and Digital Toolkit
The certification includes 20 hands-on projects, providing learners with a ready-to-use digital toolkit tailored to their business needs. Training introduces new skills like “vibe coding,” enabling app development through simple conversational English instead of complex software code.
No prior tech background is required, making it accessible for businesses to enter the AI age. Participants gain practical abilities to apply AI solutions directly to their operations.
Preparing for EU AI Regulations
With the EU AI Act applicable to businesses of all sizes, SMEs are under increasing pressure to understand compliance requirements and responsibly deploy AI. The new AI supports will help Irish businesses build capabilities and prepare for the evolving regulatory system.
Vanessa Hartley, head of Google Ireland, stated, “Small and medium-sized businesses are fundamental to Ireland’s economy, creating jobs, driving innovation, and strengthening communities across the country.”
