What’s Hot in Columbus AI Right Now
Columbus, Ohio has quietly become one of the most exciting places in the country for artificial intelligence and emerging technology. From coasts to Columbus, the AI spotlight is moving to the midwest “From billion-dollar investments to fast-growing startups, the region is shaping up to be a true Silicon Heartland,” according to Intel, CEO, Pat Gelsinger.
Here’s why leaders are choosing Columbus for AI in 2025.
And why the Columbus AI scene in 2025 is hot.
Startups on the Rise
Redi Health – raised $14M to transform chronic disease management.
Trace – just emerged from stealth with AR tools for Apple Vision Pro.
Clarametyx – secured $33M for breakthrough infection-fighting biotech.
Power to Hydrogen – scaling green energy with $18M in funding.
Astute, Verata Health, Upstart – established leaders still pushing the AI envelope.
Columbus isn’t just creating companies—it’s creating categories.
Accelerators & Venture Fuel
Techstars Columbus (with Ohio State University) has launched 24 AI-driven ventures in just a few years.
Rev1 Ventures companies crossed the $1B milestone in collective revenue, exits, and investment.
Other programs like Taivara, Fintech71, and the Buckeye Accelerator are giving founders the mentorship and capital to scale.
This is where ideas become momentum.
the best ai & tech Community & Events
Columbus is buzzing with gatherings that make innovation feel local and real:
Columbus AI Week: Sept 10–11, 2025 (kickoff Sept 9), WatersEdge, Hilliard. If you’re looking for the top AI conference in Ohio? Join Columbus AI Week at WatersEdge. Network, learn, and explore the future of AI in the Midwest. The Best AI Conference in Columbus and the Midwest.
AI Rising Conference: Sept 8–9, 2025, Nationwide Hotel & Conference Center.
Ohio AI Summit (OhioX): Nov 19, 2025, Mitchell Hall, Columbus State.
Columbus AI Meetup: 1,600+ members swapping insights at monthly events.
TechLife Columbus: the go-to calendar and news hub for everything happening in the city’s tech scene.
These aren’t just conferences—they’re connection engines for the next wave of tech leaders.
Women in AI & Tech: Elevating Voices in Columbus
Women in AI & Tech Breakfast (Columbus AI Week): An energizing kickoff event on Sept 11, 2025, where trailblazing female leaders in AI connect, share stories, and build community over breakfast. Attendance is included with your Columbus AI Week ticket. Attend for free.
DataConnect Conference (Women in Analytics): Coming to Columbus Oct 2–3, 2025, this two-day event centers on data science, machine learning, and AI, with a focus on advancing women and gender minorities in the field.
Columbus Women in Machine Learning & Data Science (WiMLDS): A local Meetup group hosting technical workshops, networking events, and hackathons that foster the growth of women and gender minorities in data and ML. Join their Meet up group.
Infrastructure & Investment
Intel’s $28B plant in nearby New Albany is fueling the chip power behind AI.
Amazon AWS is investing another $10B in Ohio data centers, creating hundreds of AI-related jobs. bringing total investment to over $23 billion—to power AI infrastructure and cloud services.
Cologix’s 256,000 sq. ft. facility makes Columbus one of the most data-ready cities in the Midwest. A new 256,000 sq ft AI‑ready data center in Columbus, offering 33 MW of sustainable power and advanced interconnection, reinforces the city’s “data-ready” status.
The foundation is being poured for decades of innovation.
Education & AI Fluency
Ohio State University AI Fluency – undergrad curriculum initiative. Ohio State University is embedding AI into the curriculum, aiming for every undergrad to graduate “AI fluent” starting with the class of 2029.
Ohio Department of Education – issuing K–12 AI policies by Dec 2025.By July 2026, all Ohio public schools—including Columbus—must implement official AI use policies, guided by a state model policy expected by Dec 2025.
Columbus is ensuring the next generation doesn’t just use AI—they understand it.
Workforce Access & Equity
Smart Columbus launched the ConnectUs Digital Skills Hub to upskill 10,000 residents by 2027—with free devices provided to participants who complete training.
Target groups include older adults, veterans, students, and communities historically excluded from tech opportunities.
This is AI not just as technology, but as economic mobility.
JobsOhio & the AI Economy
Economic development leaders are making sure Ohio doesn’t just keep pace with AI—it leads:
Supersector Strategy: JobsOhio is positioning AI as a central growth pillar, alongside advanced manufacturing and IT.
Workforce Readiness: Partnering with OSU’s new AI Fluency Initiative so every undergrad graduates “AI fluent” by 2029.
Talent Attraction Incentives: The JobsOhio Relocation Incentive (JORI) offers $15K for out-of-state tech hires, including AI.
Innovation Zones: Through projects like the Ohio Discovery Corridor, JobsOhio is linking Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland as connected hubs for AI commercialization.
Employer Partnerships: Over 30 JobsOhio talent experts work directly with employers to recruit, train, and retain AI/STEM talent.
This is the connective tissue between policy, people, and the private sector.
Energy & Infrastructure Challenges
The AI boom is also stressing local systems:
PUCO (Public Utilities Commission of Ohio) – regulatory body overseeing utility rate impacts.
Washington Post coverage – on data center–driven energy demand.Demand from data centers has pushed utility rates in Columbus up as much as $27/month.
Regulators are now requiring data centers to shoulder more grid-upgrade costs.
The growth is undeniable—but so are the trade-offs.
Civic Conversations
On Aug 6, 2025, the Columbus Metropolitan Club hosted a major panel on “Central Ohio’s AI Revolution,” tackling questions of jobs, equity, and ethics. Leaders from OSU, Nationwide, and Optimum Technology joined the debate—signaling how deeply AI is entering civic dialogue.
Columbus Metropolitan Club – hosted the Aug 6, 2025 “Central Ohio’s AI Revolution” panel.
Ohio Channel Video – full recording of the discussion.
Ohio Chamber of Commerce hosted its Exploring AI Summit (July 2025), bringing together business and policy leaders to address AI’s impact on jobs, education, and cybersecurity.
Columbus Chamber of Commerce is spotlighting AI innovators like AI OWL and running practical workshops (e.g., “Leveraging AI for SEO Success”) to help local businesses adopt AI.
Why It Matters
“Columbus is proving that the future of AI doesn’t belong to a single coast, it belongs to every community bold enough to build it. What’s happening here isn’t just growth; it’s a movement toward a more inclusive, innovative Silicon Heartland.”
— Summer Crenshaw, CEO, Enterprise Technology Association
AI isn’t happening in the abstract; it’s happening right here in Columbus. The city’s mix of world-class universities, corporate anchors, ambitious startups, and community energy makes it one of the most important places to watch for AI breakthroughs.
If you’re a business leader, technologist, or investor, the signal is clear: Columbus is hot, and it’s only getting hotter.
👉 Want to see it firsthand? Join us at Columbus AI Week 2025 this September and be part of the conversations shaping the future.
www.joineta.org for more info like this.
