CommBank launches national AI, cybersecurity and digital capabilities initiative for 1 million small and medium-sized businesses

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CommBank) today announced a national technology skills initiative to help Australian small and medium-sized businesses build AI, cybersecurity and digital capabilities to improve productivity and drive growth.

CommBank invests in practical learning and masterclasses designed to help business owners improve and protect their businesses with the latest technology, from AI-driven productivity to critical cybersecurity practices that help protect your business and customers.

To support this effort, CommBank will collaborate with OpenAI to co-develop AI learning resources and masterclasses.

CBA CEO Matt Kamin said the initiative reflects the bank's deep commitment to supporting small businesses with the technology, tools and expertise to help them grow.

“Small businesses are the backbone of Australia's economy, but many say they don't have the time or resources to explore how technology such as AI can help them,” Mr Kamin said.

According to the Council of Small Business Organizations of Australia (COSBOA) 2025 Small Business Outlook Report, 48 per cent of Australian businesses are not currently using AI, and only 14 per cent have integrated AI into their operations and services.

The initiative aims to help small and medium-sized enterprises build the confidence and know-how to grow safely and sustainably in the digital economy. Whether you're a cafe owner using AI to plan your menu, a retailer automating day-to-day customer insights, or a solopreneur saving time creating proposals and invoices, these opportunities are now within your reach.

“We want all small and medium-sized businesses to be able to use digital technologies like AI with confidence, whether they are starting, running or growing their business. This also means helping them build strong cyber skills to protect their data, customers and operations as they go digital,” Kamin added.

As part of this initiative, CommBank offers:

• Business masterclasses covering AI, cybersecurity and digital capabilities – empowering business owners to innovate, whether they're starting, running or growing their business.
• AI learning resources and masterclasses jointly developed by CommBank and OpenAI, covering the fundamentals, productivity, automation, and responsible use of AI.

Council of Small Business Organizations of Australia (COSBOA) Chair Matthew Addison welcomed the initiative and support for small businesses.

“Small and medium-sized businesses are natural innovators and want to leverage AI to save time, improve productivity, and stay competitive. With the right hands-on support, the benefits to productivity, competitiveness, and the economy as a whole can be enormous,” Addison said.

OpenAI Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon said the company is proud to work with CommBank to expand access to practical AI education.

“Thousands of Australian businesses are already using ChatGPT to improve efficiency and customer service. AI will become as essential to small businesses as the internet and mobile banking.”

CommBank's support for 1 million small business customers follows its own deployment of ChatGPT Enterprise, one of the largest deployments of its kind in the global financial services space.