National AI Literacy Day: Ohio’s AI leadership push
Lt. Governor Jon Husted speaks at the 2023 OH | AI Forum in Cleveland
November 30, 2022 is a day that sent shockwaves through businesses, schools, and governments alike. It was the day OpenAI launched ChatGPT to the public. It took just five days for ChatGPT to break one million users and a revolution was born.
Since then, the State of Ohio, led by Lt. Governor Jon Husted, has been at the forefront of leveraging AI to drive innovation, efficiency, and responsible adoption across government and education. It’s an an effort that is positioning the Buckeye State as a national leader in AI.
Today, April 19th, is National AI Literacy Day. It’s a nationwide day of action, inviting students, parents, educators, and other community members to explore the fundamental question, "What is AI?" It’s also an opportunity to highlight the efforts happening by the State of Ohio to answer that question and provide national leadership on AI in government and education. Here are some highlights:
AI Forums: Lt. Governor Husted and InnovateOhio hosted a series of statewide AI Forums, including in Cleveland and Cincinnati with OhioX, where leaders from education, government, and the tech industry shared insights into AI’s transformational impact. Some of the participating organizations included AWS, the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, Kroger, Procter & Gamble, Fifth Third, John Carroll University, Miami University, the University of Cincinnati, and a number of AI startups.
AI Toolkit for Education: Ohio stands as a frontrunner in education innovation, introducing an AI toolkit for school districts - the first in the Midwest and 7th nationwide. This resource equips educators with the necessary guidance to effectively integrate AI into curricula, benefiting over 20,000 Ohioans who have accessed the toolkit thus far.
Common Sense Initiative (CSI): Ohio's Common Sense Initiative (CSI) is harnessing AI to streamline regulatory processes by identifying redundant or unnecessary text within the state's Administrative Code. By implementing AI-driven updates through legislative channels, Ohio has not only saved nearly $5 million annually but also thousands of state employee hours. The initiative's impact is tangible, with approximately 5 million redundant words identified from the previously bloated 17-million-word Administrative Code.
Multi-Agency AI Council: Ohio demonstrates its commitment to responsible AI governance through the establishment of a multi-agency AI Council. Tasked with providing statewide oversight, this council ensures the ethical, transparent, and unbiased utilization of Generative AI solutions, setting a benchmark for AI governance frameworks nationwide.
AI Policy Framework: Spearheaded by the AI Council, Ohio has released a comprehensive policy governing the use of AI within state government. This policy strikes a delicate balance between fostering innovation and upholding core principles of responsible implementation and effective management of AI technology.
For more information on efforts at the State of Ohio on technology, innovation, and AI, please visit InnovateOhio.gov.
To access and view the AI Toolkit for schools, please visit Innovate Ohio AI Toolkit.