In the wake of ongoing warnings that SMEs could be left behind in the AI revolution, online ecommerce giant eBay is making a £3m offer to small firms to sign up to its 'AI Activate' programme.

The move, which is endorsed by Westminster, aims to skill-up small operations with fully funded access to the latest custom AI productivity tools and training, alongside a promise that the move will free up time and boost growth.

As early as last summer (2024), the British Chambers of Commerce warned that the majority of SMEs were still not using artificial intelligence, despite a growing acceptance by businesses that it will help boost productivity.

The BCC's Insights Unit in partnership with specialist recruiter Pertemps Network Group, delivered findings which showed how:

● 43% of firms had no plans to use AI technology.

● Just 25% of businesses were currently using AI.

● 42% of companies said they believed AI would increase their productivity overall, while almost none (2%) expected it to cause a decrease.

Crucially in the light of today's move by eBay, the BCC found that customer-facing businesses (B2C) were even less likely to adopt AI , with 50% stating they had "no plans" to use this technology.

Ebay said its technology has been developed in collaboration with OpenAI and the programme is open to all businesses which sell on eBay, with up to 10,000 to be given the opportunity this year.

Eve Williams, General Manager, eBay UK, said: "The issue is no longer whether businesses should adopt AI. It is how quickly they can start before their competitors do. Those businesses and economies that don't invest in AI now risk being left behind. That's why eBay is investing to put world-class AI in the hands of small businesses and entrepreneurs, with no charge to them."

She added: "We want British small businesses to win nationally and globally which means that the latest AI tools cannot be the preserve of big business. They should be in the hands of every small business in Britain."

With small businesses accounting for three-fifths of UK employment and around half of turnover in the UK private sector, equipping them with the technology and skills to compete is critical to deliver growth - and also underlines why Ebay sees this as a wise investment for its own future wellbeing.

The programme will offer access to ChatGPT Enterprise for up to 12 months in addition to tailored training to help unlock its potential.

Ebay does not as yet state what the cost of the tech would be beyond that period, but said that additional support will include a dedicated eBay team who will engage with sellers to develop custom GPTs which will be most beneficial to growing small businesses on eBay and beyond.

Ebay said its own findings show that there is "strong appetite" for AI among UK small businesses, but also a need for assistance in applying it to achieve business impact.

The seller said: "While 69% of online businesses feel excited (43%) or curious (26%) about AI's potential, many are still working out how to make best use of the technology for them."

Broader AI adoption, Ebay added, could deliver a step change in UK productivity, with the IMF estimating that the technology could add as much as £470bn to GDP by 2035.

As the first online marketplace to provide OpenAI's tools and free training, sessions will zoom in on managing financial analysis, creating promotional campaigns and effective research, with virtual training as well as moving to in-person sessions in 2026.

Nitzan Mekel-Bobrov, Chief AI Officer, eBay, said: "AI is reshaping ecommerce and eBay is all-in. We see this as a generational opportunity to reimagine buying and selling for our customers, powered by three decades of marketplace insights and cutting-edge models.

With AI Activate, he said that vision would be extended to small businesses, "making sure that they don't have to figure this out alone".

Globally, more than 10m Ebay sellers have used generative AI to create more than 300m listings, with more than 500,000 new listings generated every day.

Blair McDougall, Minister for Small Business and Economic Transformation, said: "Increasing SME growth by just 1% per year could deliver a whopping £320bn to the economy by 2030, which is why programmes like this are so important to our Plan for Change."

● Those who have registered as a UK business seller on eBay will get access to the programme from November. For more information, follow this link: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sellercentre/grow-your-sales/ai-activate.