Updated Oct. 8, 2026
This webinar took place online on Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 1 to 2 p.m. Eastern. As of Thursday, Oct. 8, FIU’s calendar lists it under past events and does not list a recording. For the next free AI sessions for South Florida owners, see our AI events guide, our Free AI Workshops guide (TechFluence Live in Fort Lauderdale on Oct. 15 and Miami AI Women in Coral Gables on Oct. 21) and the Delray Chamber’s Chasing AI Session 1 on Oct. 16.
Florida International University put a one-hour primer on artificial intelligence in front of South Florida business owners on Tuesday, Oct. 6. The webinar, AI Fundamentals for Your Small Business, ran from 1 to 2 p.m. Eastern and was held entirely online. Registration ran through FIU’s event calendar and the sign-up form it links to.
FIU’s calendar lists the College of Business as the host department and tags the session for the Florida Small Business Development Center at FIU. For an owner who keeps hearing about chatbots and automated bookkeeping without knowing where to start, the format was the draw: a single hour online, with no drive across Miami-Dade and no day lost at the shop.
What the Hour Promised
FIU’s description opens by asking whether you want to better incorporate AI tools into your business and whether you know where to start. It then says many small businesses are either not using AI to grow or are unfamiliar with which tools fit which tasks.
The webinar was meant to give “a better understanding on the latest AI technologies and what is most relevant for your industry.” Organizers said it would review different platforms and their best uses and “give you a complete picture of the AI ecosystem.” The pitch was aimed at two groups: people new to AI, and people already using it who want new strategies.
That made it a survey rather than a build-along. The listing did not name a speaker or publish an agenda. An owner who wants a map of what exists, and what fits a particular kind of shop, is the person this hour addressed.
The Host Behind the Webinar
The Florida SBDC at FIU describes itself as a partnership between FIU’s College of Business and the Florida SBDC Network that offers confidential, no-cost consulting to entrepreneurs and business owners looking to grow. Its site says it works with owners who have three or more employees, or who are launching a scalable venture, in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. Our FAU and FIU SBDC guide has more on the center and how to request an advisor.
The center is also building AI into its own services. Its site says it partners with faculty-led student teams on AI-focused consulting projects meant to improve operational efficiency and support strategic decisions for small businesses. The Gazette previewed the center’s role in FIU Business’s AI 305 conference, held Oct. 2.
How Registration Worked
The Register button on the FIU calendar page led to go.fiu.edu/fundamentals, which forwarded to a registration form on FIU’s events system. The form asked for contact details, company address, whether the registrant owned a small business, whether they were a Florida SBDC client and what stage their business was in, plus several required demographic questions. It also included a statement that the event was supported by taxpayer funds and that registrants certify they are legally authorized to receive such services.
An optional box let registrants say they were interested in the center’s no-cost individual business consulting, so the webinar doubled as an on-ramp to one-on-one help. The form had no payment step, and FIU’s event data listed the price as zero, though the visible page text did not use the word free.
Neither page named the webinar platform or posted a join link. Neither stated a capacity limit or said whether a recording would follow. For accessibility requests, both pages pointed to accommodations@fiu.edu, and the registration page asked for requests at least seven business days ahead or at the earliest possible opportunity.
Where This Fits in October’s AI Calendar
FIU’s webinar opened a dense run of AI sessions for South Florida owners. The Delray Beach Chamber’s first Chasing AI session is Friday, Oct. 16, and the Mandel Public Library in West Palm Beach lists an Intro to AI in Small Business session on Thursday, Oct. 22. For a side-by-side of the free ones, see the Gazette’s free AI workshops calendar. The Gazette tracks them all on its South Florida AI events hub.
Owners who missed the hour can look for later sessions on the Florida SBDC at FIU events and trainings page, linked in the sources below.
Key Facts for Owners and Search
When was the FIU AI Fundamentals for Your Small Business webinar?
The webinar took place Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Eastern, according to FIU’s events calendar and the linked registration page, which listed the same start and end times. The calendar labeled it a virtual event. Neither page listed a postponement or change to the date or time.
Who hosted the webinar and who could attend?
FIU’s events calendar lists the College of Business as the department and tags the event for the Florida SBDC at FIU, the university’s small business development center. The audience field includes the general public, alumni, students and faculty. The description is written for owners who are new to AI and for those already using it.
How did registration work?
Registration ran through the Register button on FIU’s calendar page, which links to go.fiu.edu/fundamentals and then to FIU’s online registration form. As of Sunday, Oct. 4, the form was active and showed no closed or sold-out notice. It requested contact details, business information and several required demographic questions.
Did the webinar cost anything?
FIU’s event data listed the price as zero, and the registration form contained no payment step. The visible page text did not state the word free or give a ticket price. The form also offered an optional box to request the Florida SBDC at FIU’s no-cost individual business consulting.
What platform, speakers or recording were announced?
FIU’s calendar and registration pages did not name a webinar platform, list speakers or state a capacity limit, and they did not say whether a recording would be available. They described a review of AI platforms, best uses and the broader AI ecosystem. Questions can go to the Florida SBDC at FIU at 305-779-9230 or SBDC@FIU.EDU.
Sources: FIU Events Calendar listing, FIU registration link, Florida SBDC at FIU, Florida SBDC at FIU Events and Trainings.
