How AI is changing local businesses — and what it could mean for workers

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — Artificial intelligence is becoming more common in the workplace, including among small businesses in the Coachella Valley.

Local business groups and cities are now offering hands-on training to show business owners how AI can be used for everyday tasks like marketing, websites, customer communication and other routine work.

The push comes as concerns continue nationwide over what the growing use of AI could mean for jobs. Employers have cited AI in more than 120,000 announced job cuts so far in 2026, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, although AI is not necessarily the sole cause behind each of those cuts.

In Rancho Mirage, local business owners recently gathered for an event focused on how to put AI to work in their businesses. Similar training and programs are also being offered around the Coachella Valley as more companies look for ways to use the technology.

Supporters say AI can make some systems faster and take over repetitive tasks without necessarily replacing the employee behind them. Recent labor research also suggests AI is changing tasks within jobs more broadly than simply eliminating entire occupations.

But as the technology becomes more capable, questions remain about where businesses draw the line between using AI as a tool and using it to replace work previously done by people.

News Channel 3 is taking a closer look at how Valley businesses are using AI now — and what that could mean for local workers as the technology continues to grow.

Stay tuned for my full story at 6 on News Channel 3.