The Federal Government Just Validated What We’ve Been Building in Ohio
The U.S. Department of Labor’s “Make America AI-Ready” initiative mirrors the AI Ready Ohio model ETA and JobsOhio launched a year ago. Here’s why that matters— and what comes next.
By Zack Huhn | Co-Founder & National Director, Enterprise Technology Association
March 24, 2026
Today, the U.S. Department of Labor officially launched “Make America AI-Ready,” a free, text-message-based AI literacy course that any American can access by texting READY to 20202.
The initiative, developed in partnership with edtech company Arist, delivers seven days of bite-sized AI fundamentals—right to your phone, ten minutes a day, no laptop required.
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer framed it as a commitment to ensuring every American worker has the chance to learn foundational AI skills. Deputy Secretary Keith Sonderling emphasized the need to demystify AI so all Americans can share in the productivity gains and new opportunities it creates.
This is a significant moment. And for those of us at the Enterprise Technology Association, it’s also a deeply validating one.
We’ve Been Here
Over the past year, ETA has been doing this exact work on the ground in Ohio through our AI Ready Ohio program, in partnership with JobsOhio. Our model delivers hands-on AI literacy and enablement training to workers, businesses, and communities across three regions—Greater Cincinnati, Columbus, and Toledo—with curriculum designed around practical, role-specific AI skills, not abstract theory.
The alignment between what DOL announced today and what we’ve already been building is striking. The federal AI Literacy Framework, which underpins “Make America AI-Ready,” is organized around five foundational content areas: understanding AI principles, exploring AI uses, directing AI effectively, evaluating AI outputs, and using AI responsibly. These mirror the core competencies we’ve embedded in the AI Ready Ohio curriculum from day one.
The difference? We’re not just delivering content over text message. We’re deploying certified trainers into communities. We’re building industry-specific tracks. We’re connecting AI literacy to real economic development outcomes—job creation, business competitiveness, regional resilience. The DOL course is a welcome on-ramp. AI Ready Ohio is the highway.
Why the Heartland Matters More Than Ever
The federal initiative reinforces what ETA has argued since our founding: AI readiness is an American priority, not a coastal one. The DOL course was intentionally designed for Americans who may feel fearful of or uncertain about AI. That’s not the developer in San Francisco. That’s the operations manager in Dayton. The small business owner in Lima. The manufacturing supervisor in Toledo.
This is the heart of our Heartland Advantage thesis. The communities that will determine whether AI delivers broad-based prosperity are not in Silicon Valley—they’re in the regions where ETA operates. Ohio is our proving ground, and the results are already showing that place-based, industry-connected AI education works.
What This Means for ETA’s National Strategy
The DOL’s move validates the direction we’ve been heading with our 50-state expansion strategy. If the federal government is signaling that AI literacy is a national workforce priority, and investing in accessible delivery models to prove it—then the demand for what ETA offers at the regional level is only going to grow. We’re not competing with “Make America AI-Ready.” We’re the next chapter of it.
Our National AI Accelerator, launching at the US AI Congress on May 27, is designed to help organizations across seven tracks—from manufacturing to healthcare to state government—move beyond literacy and into strategic AI adoption. The DOL’s framework gives workers their first taste. ETA’s programs give companies and communities the depth they need to actually transform.
Meanwhile, our AI Super Sector Advisory Kickoff Roundtable with JobsOhio on May 19 in Columbus will bring Fortune 500 leaders and regional economic development executives together to map the next phase of AI workforce strategy in the Midwest. The timing could not be better.
Join the Conversation
If today’s announcement tells you anything, it’s that this train is moving. The question is whether your organization, your region, and your workforce are on it.
ETA is hosting AI Week conferences across the country and the US AI Congress in late May. These are the spaces where practitioners, policymakers, and business leaders are building the playbook for AI-ready communities—not in theory, but in practice. If you’re serious about AI workforce development, this is where you need to be.
Text READY to 20202. That’s a good start. Then come find us. We’ll show you what’s next.
Zack Huhn is Co-Founder and National Director of the Enterprise Technology Association (ETA), leading AI workforce development programs including AI Ready Ohio, AI Week, the US AI Congress, and the National AI Accelerator.
Learn more: enterprisetechnology.org
US AI Congress – May 27, 2026 | AI Super Sector Roundtable – May 19, Columbus, OH
