For immediate release
Kiva, a global nonprofit and social impact organization that expands financial access to help underserved communities thrive, and OpenAI are partnering to help small businesses and social enterprises leverage artificial intelligence to help improve how they operate, grow, and compete in an increasingly digital economy.
Research indicates that while the majority (74 percent) of small business owners recognize the importance of digital skills, one of the biggest hurdles to AI use is not knowing how to use the tools. To help close this gap, Kiva and OpenAI developed a Resource Hub with easy-to-follow guidance to help small businesses and social enterprises leverage ChatGPT for content creation, marketing, and other tasks to drive efficiency and growth.
"At Kiva, we believe dreams are universal, but opportunities are not. Many entrepreneurs we support face barriers beyond financial access, including the technology needed to thrive. I’m excited about our partnership with OpenAI, as we share a mission to remove these obstacles and create more opportunities for entrepreneurs to succeed," said Vishal Ghotge, Kiva’s Chief Executive Officer.
“Kiva and OpenAI share the common goal of using technology to make the world a better place. By developing tools and resources that help small businesses everywhere harness the transformative power of AI, we’re empowering entrepreneurs and social enterprises to innovate, grow, and keep up with the pace of technological advancements regardless of where they live,” said Lane Dilg, Vice President of Global Impact, OpenAI.
“As artificial intelligence accelerates the pace of business transformation, it is critical that traditionally marginalized entrepreneurs are not left behind. At the Blaze Group we developed an AI business advisor that empowers entrepreneurs to optimize cash flow, stretch limited funding, and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving landscape,” said Casey Ariel Thobias, Founder and CEO of the Blaze Group, one of the small businesses on Kiva’s platform.
The Resource Hub was informed by a survey of small businesses and social enterprises in Kiva’s network which found:
44 percent of small business owners in the U.S. are currently using AI in their operations.
AI supports content creation (e.g. blog posts, logos, presentations, social media, etc), helps refine marketing strategies, automates tasks, and drafts business plans and other important documents.
Strong interest in learning more about how businesses can use AI to support marketing and sales, content creation, and operations automation.
As part of the partnership, OpenAI will also provide one year of free access to ChatGPT Plus to 500 small businesses within Kiva’s network to support their daily operations.
In the coming months, Kiva will survey small businesses and social enterprises to better understand how they utilized and benefitted from ChatGPT, and to gather input about how AI tools can be improved to meet their needs. The two organizations will also work together to explore other opportunities to help more small businesses leverage the materials in the Resource Hub.
About Kiva
Kiva is a global nonprofit founded in 2005 with a mission to expand financial access and help underserved communities thrive. Kiva unlocks capital for borrowers through crowdfunded loans supported by individuals worldwide. Kiva partners with businesses and organizations like yours to make an even greater impact on communities around the world, one loan at a time. Join Kiva to create a financially inclusive world, where all people hold the power to improve their lives. Over two million people have invested $2 billion in real dreams and real opportunities, spanning more than 90 countries and 4.7 million borrowers.
