AI Ready Ohio.
A model for AI Ready America.
A statewide initiative powered by the Enterprise Technology Association, JobsOhio, and a coalition of community partners. Moving Ohioans from AI ready to AI empowered; and building a playbook other states can follow.
From AI ready to AI empowered.
AI Ready Ohio was built on a simple premise: closing the gap between the AI economy's growth and the readiness of Ohio's people, organizations, and communities. One year in, thousands of Ohioans have been trained; four regions are standing up in 2026; and a national model is taking shape. What works in Ohio can work for other states ready to empower their own workforces.
Empowered Ohioans
Nationally recognized AI credentials delivered through AI Week events and virtual pathways; open to every Ohio professional, at every career stage.
Empowered Employers
Cohort-based programs that move Ohio companies and agencies from AI pilots to measurable productivity, with structured employer partnerships built in.
Empowered Regions
Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo, and the Great Lakes; each anchored by local universities, training partners, and civic institutions delivering on the ground.
Three ways to get AI empowered in Ohio.
AI Ready Ohio meets professionals where they are. In-person at AI Weeks across the state, virtually through the ETA community portal, and in structured cohorts for teams implementing AI together.
AI Week Conference Training
Hands-on, certificate-eligible workshops delivered alongside AI Week conference programming in Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo, and the Great Lakes region.
Online Certification Pathways
Flexible, self-paced modules and live virtual masterclasses through the ETA community portal. Accessible from anywhere in Ohio, with progress tracked as you go.
Structured Team Cohorts
Peer-supported cohort programs for employers upskilling teams, transitioning professionals re-entering the workforce, and workforce organizations running sector-specific programs.
Four regional AI Weeks. One statewide program.
Each AI Week brings thousands of Ohio professionals together for three days of keynotes, workshops, and certificate-eligible training; embedded directly in the regional economies they serve.
Cincy AI Week
June 9 to 11, 2026 in Cincinnati. Anchored by the Greater Cincinnati research and training ecosystem, with university partners across the region delivering cert workshops.
Columbus AI Week
September 8 to 10, 2026 in Columbus. The statewide hub convening, bringing together industry, research, and policy leaders at the center of Ohio's economy.
Cleveland AI Week
2026 dates coming soon. A new AI Week for Northeast Ohio, anchoring the region's health systems, advanced manufacturing, and financial services leadership.
Great Lakes AI Week
November 10 to 12, 2026 in Northwest Ohio. The program's launch event returns; anchored by the University of Toledo, Bowling Green State, and regional partners.
Built for Ohio's full workforce.
AI Ready Ohio is designed for the full range of Ohio's working professionals; not just technologists. If you work in Ohio, this program is for you.
Business & Operations Leaders
Manufacturing & Industrial
Healthcare & Life Sciences
Government & Public Sector
Educators & Trainers
HR & Talent Leaders
Small Business Owners
Students & Recent Grads
Transitioning Professionals
Powered by the institutions building Ohio's AI future.
AI Ready Ohio is delivered through a statewide coalition: a state economic development lead, a national convening organization, a growing university network, and technology partners whose credentials carry real industry weight.
JobsOhio
Ohio's statewide private nonprofit economic development corporation; the state economic development lead for AI Ready Ohio and the funder making regional access possible.
Enterprise Technology Association
A national organization accelerating technology education, enablement, and ecosystem building across America; delivering training, certifications, and program operations statewide.
Ohio's Public and Private Sector
A coalition of Ohio universities, training organizations, employers, and workforce partners; each bringing regional relationships and specialized expertise to the program.
University Partners
Training and Certification Partners
A career pathway for every Ohioan.
AI Ready Ohio delivers a three-tier certification system through university and training partners across the state. Credits accumulate across AI Week workshops, virtual masterclasses, and cohort programs; stackable toward recognized credentials.
AI Explorer
Foundational AI literacy for every professional. What AI is, what it can and cannot do, and how to use it responsibly in everyday work.
- AI fundamentals and terminology
- Prompting and tool use
- Ethics, risk, and responsible use
AI Empowered Professional
Applied skills for practitioners. How to integrate AI into specific roles across operations, marketing, engineering, finance, HR, and more.
- Role-based AI workflows
- Tool selection and integration
- Team adoption playbooks
AI Empowered Leader
Strategic AI leadership. Governance, investment, and transformation for executives and senior managers shaping enterprise-wide change.
- AI strategy and governance
- Organizational transformation
- Measurement and accountability
This is what intelligent regional development looks like. JobsOhio's AI Ready Ohio initiative and our Intelligent Regions framework are aligning to connect talent, partners, and employers in every corner of the state.
Executive Director, US AI Congress
Ready to build an AI Ready Ohio?
Whether you are an Ohio professional ready to earn your AI credential, or an employer, community organization, or institution ready to join the coalition, there is a path for you.
- Attend an Ohio AI Week for hands-on certificate-eligible training
- Join the ETA community portal for virtual certification pathways
- Partner with AI Ready Ohio to sponsor workforce cohorts
- Deliver regional programming as a training or university partner
Ohio first. America next.
AI Ready Ohio is the first AI Ready State program in the country, and a model for what AI Ready America can look like. Every credential, every partnership, every cohort built here is designed to scale; giving other states a proven playbook for the AI economy.