The world of AI isn’t just for Silicon Valley giants anymore. Over the last fortnight, two major announcements have shown that solopreneurs and small businesses are next in line for enterprise’s grade AI support. eBay has launched an ambitious “AI Activate” programme in the UK and Motion, an AI productivity startup, has raised significant funding to expand its agentic work suite. Together, these developments offer powerful tools and practical training to help small business owners harness AI for research, marketing and operations.
The biggest AI news for solopreneurs this week
eBay’s AI Activate programme – On 1 October 2025, eBay unveiled a new programme to help UK small business sellers adopt AI. The company will invest more than $ million to provide up to 10,000 sellers with free access to ChatGPT Enterprise and custom GPT tools for 12 months. Participants also receive training sessions on how to use AI for financial analysis, promotional campaigns and product research. eBay’s leadership says AI adoption is crucial to remain competitive and that the programme could create a “generational opportunity” for small businesses.
During its announcement, eBay cited internal surveys showing that 69% of online businesses are curious about AI but unsure how to apply it effectively. The AI Activate programme offers free tools and coaching to address this gap. eBay expects participants to see higher productivity by automating routine tasks like writing product descriptions and generating marketing materials. The programme is open to sellers registered on eBay’s UK site, and the first cohort is already being onboarded.
Motion’s agentic work suite and $60 million funding round – Another significant development is Motion’s September 5 funding round. The San Francisco based startup raised $60 million, giving it a valuation of $550 million, to expand its AI powered productivity platform. Motion offers an Agentic Work Suite that includes AI agents acting as a project manager, executive assistant and analytics expert. These agents cut project delivery time by about 30% for Motion’s 10,000+ SMB customers, saving hours each week on coordination and admin tasks. The funds will support new AI applications for sales, marketing and client engagement, reinforcing Motion’s vision of bridging the AI adoption gap for small and medium sized businesses.
Motion’s current product integrates task management, CRM, docs, spreadsheets and calendar tools into a single interface. Its AI employees automatically prioritise tasks, schedule meetings, draft follow up emails and create dashboards. CEO John Doe (name changed for narrative) says the goal is to provide enterprise level AI assistants to organisations that can’t afford full‑time specialists. Motion already has eight figure annual recurring revenue and a 30% faster project turnaround compared to traditional tools.
Tools you can start using today
1. eBay AI Activate (UK only for now)
- Apply via eBay Seller Hub: If you sell on eBay UK, log into Seller Hub and check the “AI Activate” tab. Fill out the application form. eBay aims to enrol 10,000 sellers by the end of 2025.
- Access ChatGPT Enterprise and custom GPT tools: Once approved, you’ll receive credentials for ChatGPT Enterprise along with curated GPTs tailored to product research, listing optimisation, marketing copy and analytics.
- Attend AI training sessions: eBay and its partners offer webinars and one-on-one coaching covering financial analysis, marketing strategy, prompt engineering and productivity workflows.
- Measure productivity gains: Track how much time you save on tasks like product descriptions, research and email marketing. eBay expects participants to automate routine tasks and focus more on strategy and customer service.
2. Motion’s Agentic Work Suite
- Sign up for a free trial: Motion offers a free trial on its website. Register your workspace and invite your team. Once set up, the platform pulls data from your email, calendar and existing tools.
- Enable AI employees: Motion’s agents act as a project manager, executive assistant and analytics partner. Start by enabling the project manager agent; it will automatically schedule tasks, balance workloads and help your team deliver projects faster.
- Use the integrated knowledge base: Create documents, spreadsheets and chat threads within Motion. AI agents can analyse this data to propose decisions, prepare reports and even draft client communications.
- Explore new modules: In addition to core functions, Motion plans to roll out agents for sales, marketing and client engagement. Stay tuned for updates to expand the platform’s capabilities.
What this means for your business
Both eBay’s AI Activate and Motion’s Agentic Work Suite signal a shift towards democratising AI for small enterprises. Traditionally, advanced AI tools were expensive and required technical expertise. eBay’s programme offers free, 12 month access to enterprise grade tools, while Motion’s suite provides AI agents that can save hours each week by automating administrative work. Together, these resources can boost productivity, improve marketing and allow solo entrepreneurs to focus on strategic growth.
For example, a solo craft seller on eBay can use ChatGPT to write compelling listings, brainstorm keywords and generate marketing emails. Meanwhile, Motion’s AI project manager can schedule tasks like order fulfilment, inventory restocking and social media planning. The combined effect is less time spent on routine operations and more time for creativity, customer engagement and expanding product lines. Furthermore, Motion’s integrated platform offers insights and analytics that solopreneurs rarely have access to.
While eBay’s programme is currently limited to UK sellers, it demonstrates a broader trend: marketplaces and platforms will increasingly provide native AI tools to level the playing field. Motion’s success suggests that investors see strong demand for AI assistants tailored to SMB needs. By adopting these tools early, solopreneurs can build workflows that scale as their businesses grow.
Action steps you can take
- This week: If you’re an eBay UK seller, apply to AI Activate as soon as possible. Slots are limited and early participants will have first access to training.
- Next week: Sign up for a free trial of Motion’s Agentic Work Suite. Experiment with the project manager agent and evaluate how much time it saves on your current tasks.
- Within a month: Attend eBay’s training sessions or watch recordings to learn how to prompt AI tools effectively. Implement at least one new AI-driven workflow (e.g., using ChatGPT to draft marketing copy or Motion to automate scheduling).
- By end of quarter: Assess ROI by comparing the time saved and improvements in sales or marketing engagement. Decide whether to continue with the paid versions of these tools (Motion offers monthly plans and eBay’s free access ends after 12 months).
Ready to harness AI?
AI isn’t just for tech giants. eBay’s bold programme and Motion’s agentic work suite prove that small businesses can access powerful AI tools without breaking the bank. By applying to AI Activate and testing Motion’s AI employees, solopreneurs can automate routine tasks, gain insights and compete with larger firms. Don’t miss this opportunity to get ahead – the future of work is here, and it’s more accessible than ever.