Ohio wants to embrace AI — now it needs workers to buy in
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JobsOhio is pushing for Ohioans to stop fearing and start understanding AI — or miss out on a massively lucrative next phase of the economy.
Why it matters: As leaders grapple with AI's impending reach, the technology is changing economies and the way we work.
The latest: JobsOhio's chief data and AI officer, Payal Thakur, delivered a keynote address during the recent Columbus AI Week, contending AI literacy and adoption is "by far" Ohio's biggest competitive gap.
- "It's not other things like compute; it's not capital; it's not appetite for all of this. It's people."
The big picture: Ohio's economy has broad momentum.
- In July, CNBC named Ohio the nation's No. 1 state for business.
- The state ranked third nationally last year for total projects per capita and continued to attract investment.
Yes, but: AI's growth and potential for disruption could make it the world's dominant industry.
- That's why JobsOhio, the state's controversial private economic development corporation, is prioritizing AI infrastructure and workforce development.
- "Getting to No. 1 is a lot of work — staying at No. 1 is even more work," Thakur tells Axios.
Despite Ohio's No. 1 overall ranking, even CNBC has the state's workforce ranked just 35th.
- That category measures STEM workers, ability to attract talent, worker training programs and productivity.
What they're doing: To close that gap and prepare for an AI future, JobsOhio launched AI Ready Ohio with the Enterprise Technology Association.
- The pilot program aims to train participants on AI while addressing fears and promoting understanding.
- Thakur says it's the first state-initiated AI readiness program.
About 2,000 Ohioans have taken the trainings since last November, and early programs far exceeded target participation numbers.
- Thakur hopes to expand it incrementally, with an aim to be in 10 cities next year.
- She says the program has become a "blueprint" for other states.
The bottom line: "The future of AI won't belong to those who fear it, dread it or marvel at it as a magic bullet," Thakur says. "It belongs to those who can learn, adopt and harness it for good."