Why We Chose Toledo as the Anchor City for Great Lakes AI Week 2025
By Zack Huhn, Co-Founder, Enterprise Technology Association
When we launched our first AI Week event in Cincinnati, our vision was simple but ambitious: use regional gatherings to catalyze national momentum around applied, responsible, and inclusive AI. Since then, the AI Week series has taken root in cities across the U.S. — not chasing hype, but building communities of practice where tech meets real-world impact.
For Great Lakes AI Week 2025, we asked ourselves the same three questions we always ask before choosing a host city:
Do we have the right local partners?
Can we drive meaningful value to the ecosystem?
Can this event be a lever for long-term economic impact in the region?
For Toledo, the answer to all three was a resounding yes.
A Coalition Ready to Lead
Toledo isn’t trying to be Silicon Valley. And that’s exactly why it’s the right choice.
Toledo — and the Great Lakes region more broadly — isn’t chasing trends. It’s applying technology to the industries that already thrive here: advanced manufacturing, automation, supply chain and logistics, materials science, aerospace, and intelligent infrastructure. These are the backbone sectors of the U.S. economy — and they’re undergoing a transformation that will define the next decade.
The timing couldn’t be better. We’ve forged strong partnerships with local innovators like Tom Bush, and we’re working closely with Bowling Green State University (BGSU), the University of Toledo (UT), and other institutions committed to workforce transformation and AI-enabled education. This alignment — across academia, the private sector, and government — is rare and powerful.
With additional support from state and federal leaders, Great Lakes AI Week is more than a conference. It’s a catalyst for what we call the Intelligent Great Lakes Region — a regional model for how applied AI and emerging technology can drive resilient, equitable, and long-term economic growth.
A National Gathering with Global Reach
Great Lakes AI Week will welcome leaders from all seven Great Lakes states — Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and New York — and we expect attendees from more than three dozen U.S. states and multiple countries.
Why are they coming? Because Toledo and the surrounding region represent something essential: a proof point for how Intelligent Regions can emerge when local leadership, global trends, and practical application converge.
We’re not here to talk about AI theory. We’re here to build AI-enabled teams, industries, and communities. And we’re doing it in places like Toledo because this is where the rubber meets the road — literally and figuratively.
The Great Lakes Advantage
The Great Lakes region is home to 20% of U.S. manufacturing output, over 50 million people, and some of the world’s most advanced supply chains. The ports, plants, labs, and logistics hubs that surround this region aren’t just local assets — they’re national imperatives.
This region has what the coasts often don’t: legacy industries ready for transformation, a skilled and adaptable workforce, and a collective appetite to build smart — not flashy.
We chose Toledo because it reflects that spirit. It’s a city ready to lead in the intelligent infrastructure era. It’s a community that understands AI is not just about models and code — it’s about outcomes: better jobs, stronger companies, more resilient supply chains, and more livable communities.
See You in Toledo
Great Lakes AI Week is happening November 5–6, 2025, and Toledo is the stage.
Whether you're building AI solutions, leading a business transformation, shaping public policy, or rethinking education for the next generation, this is your invitation to join us.
Let’s show the country — and the world — what it looks like when the Great Lakes region leads the intelligent future.
Join us at Great Lakes AI Week »
