Fostering an innovation-based Ohio economy, with the workforce to match

By Chris Berry and Alex Kotran

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- As America emerges from the throes of the coronavirus pandemic, we will very soon need to reckon with a radically new jobs landscape, in part because of COVID-19, but primarily due to the accelerating pace of emerging technology and automation. In response to this challenge, Ohio -- which has earned its place over the last century as an icon of American innovation -- is being presented with a unique opportunity to once again lead the way.

Even before the pandemic, Ohio was already grappling with a decadeslong transition away from traditional industries towards services in an increasingly technology-centric economy. Artificial intelligence (AI) will accelerate this trend and threaten many jobs that were previously resilient to traditional automation.

It’s hard to overstate how profound and impactful AI will be on Ohio’s economy. An Oxford study from 2018 predicted nearly half of all jobs are at risk of being automated within the next decade. Those most at risk include food-service workers, retail salespeople, and customer-service staff — top careers for Ohioans today.

To respond, we need to swiftly transform our workforce to enable economic resilience and prosperity.

We believe Ohio is uniquely positioned to succeed in this endeavor if we pursue two key solutions to meet this moment.

First and foremost, we must ensure our students have the basic knowledge required to navigate the “Age of Artificial Intelligence.” Today, there are no broadly available curricula about AI. This means that, in just a few months, 100,000 Ohioans will graduate high school (along with 3.7 million other seniors across the United States) having never learned about how AI might alter their career paths. If economists are correct, as many as half of these students will pursue jobs that are about to disappear.

To respond, Ohio is already off to a promising start pioneering AI literacy in partnership with The AI Education Project, a national nonprofit which piloted one of the first kindergarten-to-12th-grade curriculums about AI. The program has grown by more than 2,000 percent to reach thousands of students, and it demonstrates that we can inspire students to imagine how they might harness technology to advance their careers. If Ohio is able to scale accessible AI education, it would be the first state in the country to do so, and it would set an important new standard for workforce readiness across the United States.

In tandem with advancing innovation in education, we must work to cultivate a vibrant technology ecosystem across Ohio. This work is also well underway. Among the most promising projects are the recently announced innovation districts in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. Created under the leadership of Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, JobsOhio, and numerous other partners, these districts will solidify Ohio as a leading innovation hub.

There are also projects like General Motors’ $2 billion joint venture with LG Chem in Lordstown to create a battery cell factory, which will play a pivotal role in GM’s shift to electric vehicles. The work happening in the Youngstown area, which also includes electric vehicle manufacturer Lordstown Motors, has resulted in the region being dubbed “Voltage Valley.” In Central Ohio, Beta District’s 33 Smart Mobility Corridor has become a hub for testing of connected vehicle technology.

Our state provides a versatile playground full of ambition, cutting-edge research, and brilliant collaborations for the projects at the beginning of this Age of Artificial Intelligence.

The World Economic Forum calls this fast-approaching era of automated technology the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Ohio’s own historical reputation as a global economic powerhouse came to fruition during the Third Industrial Revolution of the early 20th century, so it is fitting for Ohio to step into this new era as a leader. By preparing our workforce and fostering an innovation-based economy, Ohio has a chance to once again lead America as we navigate this brave new world.

Chris Berry is the president of OhioX, a statewide technology and innovation nonprofit partnership. Alex Kotran is the co-founder and president of The AI Education Project.

The article originally ran in Cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer. You may read it here.