Huntington Bank has announced The 1866 Studio, an AI-powered platform it describes as a small business "operating system," developed with Google Cloud's Gemini platform to help owners start businesses, create marketing materials and prepare for financing. The bank opened early-access sign-ups on October 19, 2026, and the offering is open to noncustomers as well as existing clients. The name refers to 1866, the year Huntington was founded.
Huntington Bank Launches 'The 1866 Studio': An AI Operating System for Small Businesses
The announcement positions The 1866 Studio as a single connected experience combining business guidance, financial intelligence, digital tools and human expertise, aimed at both aspiring and existing owners. Huntington says the platform is designed to simplify the complex and time-consuming demands of starting and running a business, moving owners "from information to intelligence to action."
"Small businesses are essential to strong communities and a strong economy, and helping businesses thrive has been central to Huntington's purpose for more than 160 years," said Brant Standridge, president of Huntington Bank. The launch also signals a broader shift for banks: rather than offering financial products alone, Huntington is extending its digital services into the operational side of running a business.
For small business owners, the practical promise is consolidation. Today, administrative, marketing and financial planning tasks are typically spread across multiple disconnected tools. A unified platform could reduce the effort involved in finding relevant information and translating it into concrete next steps, though that outcome depends on how well the tools work in practice.
