Stony Brook, Google Launch AI Academy to Boost Long Island Workforce

Stony Brook University and the Long Island Association launched the LIA-AI Growth Academy, a free artificial intelligence training program funded by Google.org that will award each of 50 participating small businesses a $5,000 grant to put AI tools directly into practice.

The program targets businesses with 20 or fewer full-time employees in Nassau and Suffolk counties. No technology background is required to apply. Applications are open through April 22 at the Long Island Association's AI Academy page, and up to two employees per company may enroll.

"Stony Brook University is proud to serve as the academic anchor for the LIA-AI Growth Academy, leveraging our world-class expertise in artificial intelligence to empower Long Island's small business community," said Stony Brook President Andrea Goldsmith, whose office highlighted the partnership during Inauguration Week programming on campus.

Training runs across six virtual sessions led by Stony Brook faculty beginning May 19, followed by a final in-person session at Stony Brook's campus on September 29. Participants must complete at least four of the six virtual sessions to qualify for the completion grant. All grant funds must be deployed by December 31, 2026.

Stony Brook assembled two of its research centers to build and deliver the curriculum: the Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology (CEWIT) and the AI Innovation Institute. The Long Island Small Business Development Center at Stony Brook rounds out the instructional team, providing mentorship throughout the program to help owners translate course concepts into their own operations.

The curriculum targets three practical skills: using AI to streamline daily operations, improve customer engagement, and strengthen financial management. Graduates receive both the $5,000 implementation grant and an "AI Literacy for Business" digital badge recognizable on LinkedIn, formally documenting the competencies they earned.

The LIA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Long Island Association, is co-administering the program alongside Stony Brook. That structure channels Google.org dollars through a business advocacy organization with direct ties to regional employers rather than routing the investment exclusively through a university pipeline, a design choice that signals the program's intent to reach owners who have never set foot in a computer science classroom.

Whether the inaugural 50-business cohort demonstrates measurable gains in revenue, hiring, or productivity will determine whether the program expands. The April 22 application deadline gives Suffolk County business owners two weeks to make the case for a seat.