Bank of Ireland and Google are partnering to offer up to 10,000 free AI training scholarships for Irish businesses through the newly launched SME AI Academy on ThinkBusiness. The program seeks to equip companies with essential AI skills while ensuring compliance with upcoming EU regulations. This initiative, supported by both organisations, will help Irish SMEs enhance their digital capabilities and adopt AI-driven innovation more effectively.
The program gives Bank of Ireland SME customers free access to the Google AI Professional Certificate via the “Grow with Google” initiative. Bank of Ireland’s Director of Everyday Lending, Derek McDermott, said, “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 course is delivered via Coursera and is designed for busy businesses. It requires less than 10 hours of total learning commitment, broken into manageable one-hour modules. Participants complete 20 hands-on projects, leaving the course with a tangible digital toolkit tailored to their specific business. The training introduces teams to “vibe coding,” a method of building apps using simple conversational English rather than complex software code, and learners also receive three months’ extended access to Google AI Pro to support continued experimentation and adoption. With the EU AI Act effective 2 August, businesses face new compliance obligations that apply to organisations of all sizes, and the training helps SMEs understand these requirements and deploy AI responsibly.
Google Ireland’s head, Vanessa Hartley, said, “Small and medium-sized businesses are fundamental to Ireland’s economy, creating jobs, driving innovation and strengthening communities across the country.” She added, “Their success will be critical to ensuring Ireland thrives in the AI era.” She continued, “At Google, we’ve been supporting Irish SMEs with digital skills for more than 20 years and we are committed to helping businesses build the AI skills they need to continue to succeed.” Regarding the partnership, she said, “Through this partnership with Bank of Ireland, we’re making AI training more accessible, helping up to 10,000 SMEs gain the practical skills, tools and confidence to adopt AI, boost productivity and unlock new opportunities for growth.”
The SME AI Academy is now live on ThinkBusiness.ie, and SMEs can apply for the AI scholarship here.
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