Decatur, IL (WAND) – – Small businesses are often an economic engine for many communities. But it’s been an up-and-down year for many.

Former Congressman Rodney Davis, currently Head of Government Affairs with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said the Chamber is optimistic about the economic outlook for 2026.

Davis expects more small businesses to embrace the use of artificial intelligence.

“They’re going to know how much they can invest back into their companies to hire people, to invest in their communities and to continue to produce the products that all Americans are buying,” Davis told WAND News.

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, small businesses employ nearly half the entire American workforce.