US-based franchise organisation Alliance Franchise Brands has expanded its member support with a systemwide AI literacy initiative, equipping franchise members across its network of nearly 500 locally owned businesses in North America with practical tools and training to apply artificial intelligence in daily operations, as reported by What They Think.

The programme delivers a mix of monthly training sessions, collaborative discussions, videos, articles, live sessions and small group working meetings through a centralised Hub of resources, giving franchise members multiple ways to engage with AI learning in formats suited to their individual operations.

The initiative is designed to be flexible rather than prescriptive, recognising that each centre operates with different systems, teams and market needs. Franchise members help shape training topics and direction, creating a peer-driven learning environment focused on practical, real-world application.

Shelby Grassick, Senior AI Manager at Alliance Franchise Brands, said the programme prioritises responsible adoption over broad experimentation. "Our goal is to help Franchise Members understand how to use AI tools in practical ways that create real value," she said. "Whether it's improving efficiency, streamlining repetitive tasks or helping owners make more informed decisions, AI has the potential to free up time so Franchise Members can focus on serving customers and growing their businesses."

She added that education and responsible adoption are central to the initiative's design. "We created this program because we believe education and responsible adoption are key to helping local business owners confidently navigate this evolving technology," Grassick said.

Read the full details of the Alliance Franchise Brands AI initiative in the full report.