In a landmark move that cements Boston’s reputation as the “Athens of America” for the digital age, Governor Maura Healey announced today a first-of-its-kind partnership with Google. Starting immediately, every resident of Massachusetts—including small business owners and their employees—can access Google’s AI Professional Certificates and training programs at no cost.
Managed through the Massachusetts AI Hub, this initiative is designed to democratize high-level tech skills, ensuring that the local workforce isn’t just observing the AI revolution, but leading it.
What is Included?
The program features the new Google AI Professional Certificate, a hands-on curriculum that can be completed in about 10 hours. Beyond basic concepts, the training teaches practical skills such as:
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AI-generated research and visual assets.
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Prompt engineering to automate repetitive tasks.
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Data-backed project planning using Google’s most advanced models.
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Access to additional certificates in Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, and Digital Marketing.
Why This is a Game-Changer for Boston Small Businesses
For the small business owners in Back Bay, Dorchester, or East Boston, this announcement is a powerful tool to level the playing field against larger competitors. Here is how your business can benefit:
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Cost Savings on Specialized Labor: Instead of hiring expensive consultants, small business owners can upskill their existing team to use AI for streamlining customer support and managing finances.
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Hyper-Efficient Marketing: The training includes modules on using AI to brainstorm social media content and write optimized emails in seconds, allowing “mom and pop” shops to run digital campaigns with the polish of a corporate agency.
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Operational Speed: Small businesses can use AI to turn meeting notes into action items or generate business proposals and strategies in minutes using tools like Gemini and NotebookLM.
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No Barriers to Entry: Governor Healey emphasized that these tools are designed for everyone, regardless of age or previous tech experience. It is about “vibe coding”—using natural language to get results—rather than hardcore programming.
Governor Maura Healey said:
“This partnership creates an opportunity for us to support our workers, students, and small business owners across Massachusetts, making sure they have the tools they need to compete and succeed in this rapidly evolving economy,”
How to Get Started
Bostonians interested in securing these free certifications can find the registration links through the Mass.gov official portal or the Massachusetts AI Hub website.
