This Month's Latest Tech News in Cincinnati, OH - Thursday July 31st 2025 Edition

Cincinnati and Ohio are making strategic strides in artificial intelligence, exemplified by the University of Cincinnati's FY 2025 digital transformation efforts that include the new AI Enablement Community of Practice and the pilot of BearcatGPT, a custom GPT environment for personalized tutoring.

Complementing this, Ohio K-12 schools are mandated to adopt AI policies by mid-2026, reinforcing the state's commitment to responsible AI integration, as detailed in Ohio's new AI school policy guided by the Department of Education and Workforce.

Meanwhile, Ohio State University has launched a bold AI Fluency initiative requiring all undergraduates to master AI basics and ethical usage by 2029, preparing students for an AI-driven workforce.

These regional efforts align with the U.S. Department of Education's July 2025 guidance promoting ethical AI use in schools and workforce development. For those looking to gain practical AI skills, Nucamp's AI Essentials for Work bootcamp offers a 15-week program to apply AI across business functions with no technical background needed - a timely opportunity amid this local AI surge.

The University of Cincinnati (UC) continues to accelerate its AI-driven digital transformation in FY 2025, highlighted by the production pilot of BearcatGPT, a private OpenAI/GPT environment exclusive to the UC community.

This initiative enables faculty, staff, and students to explore AI applications in teaching, research, and process automation within a secure UC-only platform, ensuring data privacy and compliance under the guidance of Vice President and Chief Digital Officer Bharath Prabhakaran.

Complementing BearcatGPT, UC offers access to Microsoft Copilot Chat, LinkedIn Learning AI coaching, and Zoom AI Companion, all designed to boost productivity and learning outcomes.

In addition, the university has fostered an AI Enablement Community of Practice to unite academic and administrative stakeholders around responsible AI innovation and policy.

Infrastructure modernization complements these AI tools with network upgrades and CMMC-compliant cloud environments to safeguard research and data assets. As part of a broad digital transformation aligned with UC's "Next Lives Here" strategic vision, the university is also expanding AI pilot projects focusing on student success, streamlining administrative workflows, and deploying custom GPT agents for personalized tutoring.

UC's leadership in embedding AI responsibly reflects a commitment to technology-driven educational excellence and operational efficiency - read more about UC's comprehensive approach at UC Advances Digital Transformation in FY 2025, explore the BearcatGPT pilot details at BearcatGPT Microsoft Azure OpenAI Pilot, and learn about UC's broader digital innovation strategy in University of the Future - Inside UC Cincinnati's Digital Transformation Strategy.

Ohio teen Paisley Tuel, a 19-year-old pre-law student at Case Western Reserve University, is leading a groundbreaking effort to regulate artificial intelligence in healthcare within the state.

Alarmed by lawsuits against insurers UnitedHealth and Cigna for allegedly abusing AI algorithms to deny claims, Tuel discovered Ohio lacked specific AI regulations in healthcare while other states have enacted policies such as Massachusetts' AI licensing requirements and Illinois' bias testing mandates.

Collaborating with Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo, Tuel co-authored a comprehensive 50-page law journal paper titled "The Need for AI-Specific Regulations in Healthcare in Ohio," and helped draft a bill proposing the creation of an Ohio AI Healthcare Regulatory Committee.

This committee would certify and monitor AI tools, ensure transparency and patient safety, mandate testing and monitoring of AI applications in hospitals, and require explicit patient consent for AI-driven medical decisions, with members including medical professionals, AI experts, and patient advocates.

Despite currently lacking a bill sponsor, the initiative reflects growing efforts in Ohio to align AI innovation with ethical safeguards. Allison Russo emphasized the moral necessity of balancing healthcare AI advances with thoughtful protections, noting,

“AI is moving fast in health care and offers real promise, but we need thoughtful protections for the people it is meant to serve when AI doesn't work as planned.”

For further details, explore the Cincinnati Enquirer's feature on Paisley Tuel's legislative work on AI in health care, the broader Ohio teen involvement in AI healthcare legislation, and context on Ohio's proposed AI healthcare regulatory bill as part of the state's ongoing tech advancements.

Ohio legislators have introduced the "Right to Compute Act" (House Bill 392) to establish a clear legal framework for artificial intelligence systems within the state, aiming to balance economic growth with public safety.

The bill - co-sponsored by Rep. Tex Fischer and others - adds a formal definition of AI systems to the Ohio Revised Code and sets forth guidelines for risk management and protection against harmful AI applications.

While it limits local governments from enacting stricter regulations than those at the state level to ensure business certainty, the legislation has sparked debate around states' rights and clean energy concerns from Sen.

Casey Weinstein and others. The framework intends to position Ohio as an attractive destination for AI innovation by leveraging the region's skilled workforce and resources, while also addressing societal risks posed by AI technologies, such as misinformation and deepfakes.

Rep. Fischer emphasizes the bill's role in signaling that Ohio is “open for business” with “very limited but strict guardrails,” whereas critics urge prioritizing AI protections to prevent misuse, citing risks to vulnerable populations.

The bill's progress follows federal removal of a preemption ban, empowering states to regulate AI locally. For more details on the bill's provisions and legislative status, visit the East Cleveland News overview of Ohio's Responsible AI Framework, the Yahoo News report on Ohio's AI regulation bill, and the official Ohio Legislature HB392 status page.

Kroger is advancing its retail operations by significantly investing in artificial intelligence to enhance inventory security and boost productivity. The company has deployed autonomous inventory-scanning robots like Simbe's Tally and “Barney,” named after Kroger's founder, in select Cincinnati and Indianapolis stores to provide real-time shelf inventory and pricing accuracy, enabling associates to promptly address product shortages and reduce shrinkage.

Beyond robotics, Kroger's centralized eCommerce unit, led by Chief Digital Officer Yale Kassett, integrates AI-driven inventory management tools and virtual assistant technologies that support in-store associates with real-time task management, leading to improved on-shelf availability and record-high employee retention.

Kroger's broader digital transformation includes partnerships with firms such as Google Cloud and Nvidia and a focus on modernizing infrastructure and supply chain efficiency, which contributed to a 15% surge in eCommerce sales in Q1 2025.

These efforts combine data analytics, machine learning, and AI-enabled tools to reduce waste, optimize ordering through expiration tracking, and refine operational discipline, thereby supporting sustainable growth and customer satisfaction.

As Kroger navigates competitive pressures post its aborted Albertsons merger, its AI and robotics initiatives showcase a strategic commitment to operational excellence and innovation in the grocery industry.

For further details on Kroger's AI initiatives and operational impact, see the full coverage at CIO Dive's report on Kroger's AI-driven shrink reduction, the National CIO Review's analysis of Kroger's digital transformation, and the Convenience.org article on Kroger testing store inventory robots.

Cincinnati-based startup CommercializeIQ has successfully raised $1.5 million in pre-seed funding to develop its AI-powered proptech platform aimed at transforming property management and real estate investment.

Drawing inspiration from industry trends where artificial intelligence is increasingly integrated into real estate workflows - from underwriting and risk modeling to tenant experience and operational efficiency - CommercializeIQ joins a rapidly growing market with strong venture capital backing; notably, proptech startups globally raised $544 million across 32 rounds in early 2025, with a median investment of $9.8 million.

The company's platform intends to leverage AI not as a front-end feature but as a backend co-pilot to streamline evaluations, optimize asset selection, and automate repetitive tasks, aligning with JLL's research indicating that 90%+ of firms plan to run corporate real estate functions with AI support.

This funding will enable the startup to scale AI capabilities, expand partnerships, and enhance user interfaces, similar to other proptech innovators like Dubai's Prop-AI and Germany's Buena, who are redefining property markets with advanced AI solutions.

As investor interest intensifies in AI-driven real estate tech, CommercializeIQ is poised to capitalize on niches such as predictive analytics, tenant engagement, and resource optimization, which remain underserved.

For further details on proptech investment dynamics and AI's evolving role in real estate, see JLL's Featured Research on AI in PropTech, the comprehensive summary of Who's Investing in Proptech: February 2025, and the report on Prop-AI's $1.5M Pre-Seed Funding Round.

Benchmark Gensuite, a leading Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and sustainability software provider based in Cincinnati, has been recognized as a finalist in the Cincinnati Business Courier's prestigious 2025 Fast 55 Awards, which honor the fastest-growing private companies in the Greater Cincinnati area.

The company's significant revenue growth is driven by its cutting-edge AI-powered platform, Genny® AI, which is now natively enabled across every subscriber instance, serving nearly 4 million users without the need for software upgrades or customer rebuilds.

This advancement integrates over 20 AI helpers and assistants to enhance workplace safety, compliance, and sustainability management through predictive analytics, automated incident reporting, and intelligent recommendations.

CEO R. Mukund emphasized,

“Our growth is a direct result of the demand to deliver practical, forward-looking solutions that help businesses operate more safely, sustainably, and efficiently... With continued support from our customers and strong partnerships, we're excited to keep building on this momentum.”

Benchmark Gensuite has also earned USA Today's 2025 Top Workplaces USA award, reflecting its focus on employee well-being and innovation culture.

Their dynamic platform supports global enterprises in managing risk, compliance, and sustainability goals, positioning Benchmark Gensuite at the forefront of AI-driven EHS technology.

Learn more about their AI innovations at Benchmark Gensuite's AI Solutions, explore their award recognitions at Benchmark Gensuite Awards and Recognition, and read the Fast 55 finalist announcement at the Cincinnati Business Courier Fast 55 Awards.

Dayton Children's Hospital has become one of the first pediatric health systems in the U.S. to integrate Abridge's ambient AI technology into its exam rooms, aiming to streamline medical documentation and allow clinicians to focus more on patient care.

This AI platform automatically transcribes doctor-patient conversations and generates detailed, clinically useful notes that directly integrate with the hospital's Epic electronic health record (EHR) system.

The technology supports over 50 medical specialties and 28 languages, adapting to the unique challenges of pediatric care, such as managing fidgety or crying patients.

Chief Information Officer J.D. Whitlock emphasized the inevitability of ambient AI in healthcare, stating,

“The question for health systems is not really, ‘should we do ambient AI?' because ambient will very quickly be the expected functionality for providers.”

The platform's Contextual Reasoning Engine ensures notes are both accurate and billable, improving documentation efficiency and reducing clinician burnout.

Currently utilized by roughly 25% of providers, the software upholds strict patient privacy standards while automating a significant portion of the documentation workload, as Nurse Practitioner Hayley Hammersand notes improved work-life balance and accuracy.

Dayton Children's serves over 400,000 children annually across multiple campuses and care sites in Ohio and Indiana, accentuating the impact of this AI advancement on a broad pediatric population.

For more details on this pioneering ambient AI adoption, visit Becker's Hospital Review's feature on Dayton Children's partnership with Abridge, explore WHIO's insights in Dayton Children's Hospital Now Uses AI article by WHIO, and read the comprehensive overview at Dayton Daily News on Ambient AI in Pediatric Care.

Laurah Turner, an expert from the University of Cincinnati, highlights the transformative role of AI coaching in education, aligning with national advances such as UT Austin's faculty-guided AI tutor platform, UT Sage, developed with Amazon Web Services (AWS).

UT Sage empowers instructors to create customized virtual tutors that engage students with Socratic dialogue to deepen critical thinking and understanding, while maintaining academic integrity and faculty agency.

This model exemplifies how AI can complement, rather than replace, human teaching by providing personalized, course-specific support at scale, enhancing learning outcomes and reducing instructor workload.

As AI-driven tutoring systems evolve, they foster individualized learning paths, offering immediate feedback and adaptive instruction, beneficial from K-12 personalized microschools to higher education institutions embracing responsible AI frameworks.

These innovations underscore a growing consensus that AI coaching tools can free educators to focus on mentorship and hands-on engagement while supporting diverse student needs in increasingly digital classrooms.

For more on UT Austin's UT Sage platform, visit the AWS blog on UT Sage; for a broader understanding of AI's impact on education, see the IBL News article on AI and higher education; and for insights into AI-powered personalized learning in K-12, refer to The Hunt Institute's report on AI tutoring in schools.

On July 22, 2025, the Ohio Third Frontier Commission awarded over $1.1 million in grants through its Technology Validation and Start-up Fund (TVSF) to six Ohio companies innovating in AI-driven medical technology and scientific fields.

The funding aims to accelerate commercialization and market entry for cutting-edge projects such as Airelon LLC's AI system for automating document sorting targeting small businesses, Auxilium Health's antibiotic-free wound dressing for diabetic foot ulcers, and Recall Therapeutics' novel gene therapy seeking to restore memory function in Alzheimer's patients.

Other grantees include RNA Nanotherapeutics LLC developing RNA-based breast cancer treatments, Visano Theranostics Inc. advancing nanobubble imaging for improved prostate cancer biopsies, and WhichFoodsR creating an at-home inflammation test for IBD patients.

Lydia Mihalik, Director of the Ohio Department of Development, emphasized the state's commitment:

“Ohio is committed to investing in the technologies that are shaping the world of tomorrow. Through these projects, we're supporting Ohioans who are transforming bold ideas into life-changing breakthroughs.”

This diverse portfolio reflects Ohio's leadership in integrating AI and life sciences to improve healthcare outcomes, with grants supporting activities like prototyping, clinical validation, and regulatory preparedness.

The details of the TVSF awards are summarized below:

Businesses and researchers interested in future funding rounds can apply via the Ohio TVSF program application portal.

Microsoft has announced it is pausing its $1 billion plan to build three AI data centers in Licking County, Ohio, reflecting a strategic reassessment amid shifting market conditions and global infrastructure challenges.

The planned campuses in New Albany, Heath, and Hebron will see two sites temporarily reserved for farmland rather than data center development, while Microsoft retains land ownership and continues funding roadway and utility upgrades.

Noelle Walsh, President of Microsoft Cloud Operations, emphasized that although early-stage projects are being slowed, the company remains committed to its broader $80 billion global investment in AI-enabled data centers for fiscal 2025, adapting to evolving customer demand with agility.

This pause is part of a wider trend, with Microsoft scaling back numerous US and international data center expansions due to concerns over oversupply and power infrastructure constraints.

Industry experts note strong ongoing demand for AI infrastructure, despite the temporary pause, highlighting power availability and resource scarcity as critical factors.

Local officials expressed disappointment but remain focused on long-term regional growth, with neighboring tech giants like Google and Meta continuing investments in Licking County.

Microsoft's decision underscores the complexity of balancing rapid AI infrastructure growth with market realities and regulatory influences, including recent tariffs on imported tech equipment affecting U.S. investments.

For more detailed insights, see the CBS News report on Microsoft's Ohio data center pause, the CNBC analysis of the AI data center market pause, and Microsoft's local project details in the ENR Midwest coverage.

Cincinnati and Ohio continue to lead the nation in artificial intelligence innovation and responsible growth by fostering robust public-private partnerships, forward-thinking policy frameworks, and inclusive economic strategies.

Efforts such as the Cincinnati AI Catalyst emphasize human-centered AI development aimed at creating jobs and enhancing skills, while state-wide initiatives supported by the NSF Industries of Ideas project underscore Ohio's commitment to measuring AI's impact on regional economies, with findings indicating AI-related sectors deliver significantly higher wages in Cincinnati's healthcare industry.

The region hosts a dense calendar of AI-focused events, including the Ohio AI Summit and the upcoming Ohio Tech Day, which facilitate valuable networking and knowledge-sharing among technology leaders, entrepreneurs, and policymakers.

Local thought leaders, such as Julie Jacono of JumpStart, highlight how Ohio's grit and practicality position it uniquely to democratize AI adoption, enabling small and midsized businesses to leverage cutting-edge technologies cost-effectively and collaboratively with startups.

This ecosystem is strengthened by educational initiatives like Nucamp's AI Essentials for Work bootcamp, offering accessible, practical AI skills for diverse professionals, as well as workshops and mentorship opportunities to build the future workforce and promote ethical AI use.

With strategic investments, coordinated innovation efforts, and a clear focus on equitable growth, Cincinnati and Ohio are not only embracing AI's transformative potential but are also setting a nationwide example in fostering an environment where technology drives sustainable economic prosperity and inclusive opportunity.

Learn more about the ongoing events and initiatives shaping Ohio's AI future at the Ohio Innovation and Technology Association, explore detailed regional economic insights from the Center for Economic Analysis & Development, and stay informed about local AI developments through the Cincinnati AI Catalyst.