Kelly Loeffler says AI will boost Main Street jobs
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- Kelly Loeffler predicted at Axios AM Live that artificial intelligence will generate job growth for small businesses on Main Street across America.
- The SBA is shifting its focus to technology‑ and customer‑driven services, emphasizing deregulation, onshoring, and improved access to capital for small businesses.
- The National Small Business Association warned that proposed FY 2027 budget cuts to the SBA raise lending costs, shrink technical resources, and make it harder for small firms to get assistance.
- Small businesses employ nearly half of the U.S. workforce and are a major engine of economic growth, yet optimism is below its 52‑year average amid inflation, higher gas prices, and falling profitability.
- China was referenced by Loeffler as a potential threat in the AI arms race, stating that a Chinese lead would be problematic for the United States, especially Main Street.
- New business filings are near record levels, indicating continued entrepreneurial activity despite broader economic concerns.
Why it matters: Small businesses, which employ nearly half of the U.S. workforce, stand to gain jobs and capital as AI lowers barriers, while the SBA’s projected budget cuts raise lending costs and shrink technical support, and a Chinese lead in AI would be problematic for the United States, especially Main Street.
