This Month's Latest Tech News in Cleveland, OH - Saturday May 31st 2025 Edition

Cleveland's tech scene is experiencing a true renaissance, with June 2025 marking a pivotal month for regional innovation. Local leaders like Cleveland Clinic are advancing artificial intelligence on a global scale, through strategic alliances such as their partnership with Abu Dhabi-based G42 and Oracle to create a worldwide AI-powered healthcare delivery platform aimed at making care more effective and accessible (Oracle, Cleveland Clinic, and G42 announce AI partnership).

This collaboration leverages cutting-edge technologies for improved patient care, medical research, and operational efficiency, supported by G42's digital infrastructure spanning 480 clinics in 26 countries (Cleveland Clinic and G42 drive AI-powered healthcare innovation).

Cleveland Clinic's global expansion is underpinned by decades of innovation, evidenced by over 2,800 issued patents, 900 active licenses, and more than 100 startups in its portfolio, reflecting a deep commitment to blending clinical excellence with next-generation technology (25 Years of Cleveland Clinic Innovations).

As AI transforms fields from diagnostics to personalized medicine, Cleveland stands out as a proving ground for the future of healthcare and tech entrepreneurship.

Oracle, Cleveland Clinic, and G42 have announced a landmark strategic partnership to build a global AI-powered healthcare delivery platform, positioning Cleveland at the forefront of medical innovation.

The initiative will combine Oracle's cloud infrastructure and AI data capabilities, Cleveland Clinic's renowned clinical expertise, and G42's sovereign AI and health data integration to create secure, scalable solutions for proactive care and precision medicine in both the United States and United Arab Emirates.

Key features include real-time analysis of population health data, AI-driven diagnostics, personalized treatments, and improved clinical trial enrollment, all designed to enhance patient outcomes and reduce costs.

As Cleveland Clinic CEO Tom Mihaljevic stated,

“This venture represents a bold leap forward… An AI-enabled model of care could positively impact global health systems - a flagship example of how data-driven, tech-powered healthcare can deliver better outcomes, lower costs, and expand access worldwide.”

The non-binding agreement builds on established partnerships, such as Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, and aims to accelerate life sciences innovation by integrating clinical care and research.

For an in-depth analysis, read the HLTH report on the Oracle, Cleveland Clinic & G42 AI healthcare platform collaboration, explore background and expert insights in this healthcare technology announcement, and see the PharmaBiz article detailing leadership perspectives and partnership goals.

University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center has launched a pioneering clinical trial in partnership with Qure.ai, deploying the FDA-cleared chest X-ray AI tool qXR-LN as a powerful “second reader” to help radiologists detect early lung cancer nodules.

This collaboration addresses a major challenge: while low-dose CT scans are the gold standard for lung cancer screening, only about 16% of eligible high-risk patients actually receive this potentially life-saving test.

By leveraging AI, which has been rigorously trained with data from 15 million chest X-rays, clinicians hope to spot suspicious nodules on standard chest X-rays - often missed due to their subtle appearance - improving early diagnosis for thousands.

The randomized, year-long study will compare outcomes between standard care and AI-assisted groups across a projected 45,000 patients, evaluating how frequently the AI prompts necessary follow-up scans, biopsies, and earlier cancer detection.

According to Dr. Amit Gupta, Division Chief of Cardiothoracic Imaging at UH,

“Chest X-ray AI presents a valuable opportunity to cast a wider net, to identify suspected malignant pulmonary nodules ranging from 6 to 30mm in size. This can boost the fight against lung cancer and improve outcomes for patients.”

For a concise breakdown of the initiative, see the table below:

Learn more about the trial's launch and AI's impact at UH in this University Hospitals news release on AI for early lung cancer identification, explore the clinical study's design and outcomes in Crain's Cleveland coverage of the Qure.ai clinical collaboration, and get expert analysis of the AI tool and its transformative value in early lung cancer detection in this Targeted Oncology feature on AI-driven lung cancer detection.

The MetroHealth System has entered a strategic partnership with Pieces Technologies to roll out an enterprise-wide AI platform aimed at improving clinical workflows and enhancing patient care across Cleveland's expansive public safety-net hospital network.

The initiative integrates Pieces' advanced AI tools with MetroHealth's electronic health records, automating complex documentation - such as progress notes and discharge summaries - and providing “lifetime patient summaries” for more immediate, comprehensive clinical insights.

According to MetroHealth's Chief Health AI Officer, Dr. Yasir Tarabichi, strong guardrails and human oversight ensure accuracy and fairness in deployment:

“A big part of that work is showing how we can implement the solution in a way that really is fair and equitable and supports our patient population. When we deploy these solutions, we want to make sure we are helping our patients, not hurting them, so improving disparities, for instance, rather than widening them.”

Major benefits include saving up to 50 minutes daily for physicians and 60 minutes for case managers, thus reducing administrative burdens and allowing caregivers more time with patients.

In addition to increasing efficiency, the partnership includes a National Institutes of Health-funded research collaboration focused on conversational AI for cancer care.

This move puts MetroHealth at the forefront of responsible healthcare innovation in Northeast Ohio, as detailed by MetroHealth's official partnership announcement, with further analysis and leadership insights available in Becker's Hospital Review's coverage on MetroHealth's AI investment strategy and industry collaboration highlights from Pieces Technologies' media center.

Cleveland Clinic is setting a new standard in reducing physician burnout with its comprehensive adoption of ambient AI documentation tools, following a rigorous assessment of five leading scribe platforms in 2024 and culminating in the selection of Ambience Healthcare for a five-year partnership.

The Clinic's phased rollout empowers clinicians to spend more time with patients and less on administrative work, as Dr. Dylan Timberlake explains:

"Now it really is, set the phone down, sit here and have a conversation with someone, and then move on... It's a lot more efficient."

Providers review and edit AI-drafted notes before signing, maintaining safety and accuracy, and patients are informed about the technology use with opt-out options.

Meanwhile, through its strategic alliance with AKASA, Cleveland Clinic is also leveraging AI to enhance coding accuracy in the billing process, further easing provider workload and minimizing downstream documentation errors.

Notably, strong engagement and positive feedback from clinicians highlight reduced cognitive burden and improved job satisfaction - a priority reiterated by leadership, who view AI as a healthcare, not merely a technical, evolution.

According to studies, such ambient AI tools can lead to a 60% reduction in burnout and substantial improvements in care quality. For more on Cleveland Clinic's technology selection and pilots, see the in-depth review of their AI scribe platform evaluation by the American Hospital Association, a feature on Ambience Healthcare's AI scribe platform selection and performance, and the announcement of their strategic collaboration with AKASA for AI-driven revenue cycle management.

The Clinic's efforts reflect a national trend, as market leaders report rapid AI scribe adoption, millions in new investment, and measurable drops in physician burnout, signaling a transformative shift in workload and workplace well-being across healthcare.

This month, Cleveland's use of AI-powered facial recognition in criminal investigations has ignited a major legal and civil rights debate. In a pivotal homicide case, police relied on Clearview AI's technology to obtain a search warrant without disclosing its use to the judge, leading to the exclusion of key evidence and jeopardizing the prosecution's case.

Civil rights groups, including the ACLU and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, contend that such technology is unreliable and disproportionately prone to misidentifications - especially for people of color - while experts and community leaders are raising alarms about the lack of oversight, formal policy, and training within the Cleveland Police Department.

As one defense brief noted, “This is equivalent to giving hand grenades to children without any instructions or supervision. What could go wrong?”

“When police hide their use of fundamentally unreliable face recognition technology from judges, it undermines the ability of courts to ensure protection of our constitutional rights.” - Nathan Freed Wessler, ACLU

With national legal implications, the case underscores the urgent need for police departments to adopt transparency and regulatory safeguards before deploying AI in high-stakes investigations.

For a comprehensive analysis of the court's decision and its ramifications, see coverage from cleveland.com on the legal and social challenges of police facial recognition, a summary of judicial rulings at Biometric Update's detailed report on evidence exclusion, and an in-depth look at how this Cleveland case could set national precedent via Biometric Update's legal analysis of State v. Tolbert.

Ohio's rapid embrace of drones, AI, and surveillance technology is transforming policing across the state, particularly in Cleveland and surrounding municipalities.

Departments like the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office and Dublin Police have invested in fleets of drones and patrol robots, enhancing first-responder efficiency and enabling real-time situational awareness, while the Cleveland Division of Police now implements carefully regulated drone policies that explicitly restrict drone use for crowd or protest monitoring without clear crime-related exigency or warrant criteria.

Statewide, law enforcement - including agencies without aviation resources - benefits from the Ohio State Highway Patrol's roll-out of live aerial surveillance and infrared technology, greatly expanding covert and search capabilities (Ohio law enforcement agencies' live aerial surveillance technology).

However, these advancements spark ongoing debates about privacy and civil liberties, intensifying calls for new regulations. House Bill 149, currently under consideration, would require police to obtain search warrants for most surveillance drone deployments but would provide exceptions for emergencies, public safety, and crime scene documentation (Ohio lawmaker proposes warrant requirements for drone surveillance).

The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio and local police commissions urge transparency, oversight, and strict limits to prevent misuse. Reflecting this tension, a Cleveland Community Police Commission-approved drone policy prohibits most protest monitoring and requires DOJ review for civil rights protections.

As summarized in the table below, Ohio's evolving legal and policy frameworks aim to balance operational efficiency, public trust, and privacy rights:

“We want it to happen without having a lot of the public trust issues that we've been working on for probably a decade and a half now to ensure we can integrate these systems to do really great things.” - State Rep. Bernie Willis

As these tools proliferate, Cleveland continues to serve as a proving ground for the interplay of cutting-edge technology, effective policing, and the protection of constitutional rights.

Microsoft has officially paused its $1 billion data center project in Licking County, Ohio, reflecting broader recalibrations in the AI infrastructure industry this year.

Initially slated for development across three sites - New Albany, Heath, and Hebron - the decision will see two of the parcels revert to agricultural use, with Microsoft retaining land ownership for future evaluation.

Noelle Walsh, President of Microsoft Cloud Operations, explained the move as part of the company's "agility and refinement as we learn and grow with our customers," and reaffirmed that while select early-stage projects are slowing, its global $80 billion AI data center investment for 2025 remains on course.

The Ohio pause comes amid mounting industry-wide challenges, including steeply rising tariffs on imported equipment and growing power constraints as new AI data centers demand exponentially more electricity - often over 500 megawatts per site.

Despite Microsoft's adjustment, the long-term fundamentals remain upbeat across the sector, with over $300 billion in capital expenditures planned by major tech players and data center demand still projected to grow 20–25% over the next five to seven years.

As summarized in a CNBC analysis of the data center market, this is a moment of “strategic reallocation, not retreat.” For additional local impact, frustrated officials in Ohio noted parallels with other delayed tech megaprojects, such as Intel's Licking County semiconductor factory now pushed to 2030 (US News & World Report coverage of Microsoft's AI data center delay in Ohio).

For full project details and evolving industry context, see DataCenterDynamics' comprehensive report on the Microsoft Ohio data center pause.

Stark County's Paisley Tuel, a 19-year-old pre-law student at Case Western Reserve University, is leading an ambitious grassroots movement to craft Ohio's first legislation specifically regulating artificial intelligence in healthcare.

Alarmed by lawsuits involving UnitedHealth and Cigna for allegedly using AI to deny patient claims, Tuel collaborated with Sabrina Soto to research policy gaps and author a comprehensive 50-page paper published in March 2024.

Their advocacy has brought them to the attention of Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo, who invited them to help draft a bill aimed at ensuring transparency, safety, and patient rights regarding AI in medical decisions.

The proposed legislation would establish an Ohio AI Healthcare Regulatory Committee comprising medical professionals, AI researchers, legal experts, and patient advocates, with a focus on certifying AI tools, enforcing standards, and guaranteeing informed consent or the right to refuse when AI is used.

As neighboring states like Massachusetts and Illinois move ahead with licensing and bias-testing requirements for healthcare AI (summarized in this Cincinnati Enquirer analysis of Ohio AI healthcare legislation), Ohio has lagged behind, only forming a council to oversee generative AI in early 2024.

Presently, the bill is in draft form, with Tuel and Soto preparing to make their case before the state legislature.

“We want AI tools to be tested and monitored for widespread use in Ohio hospitals because that has not happened yet. We want patients to know when AI is involved in their healthcare decisions,”

Tuel emphasized in an interview with the Canton Repository's exclusive on Tuel's AI healthcare advocacy.

These local efforts come amid parallel proposals, such as Senate Bill 164 addressing AI transparency in healthcare authorization, which also targets transparency and accountability in AI-driven health insurance authorizations, reflecting a broader legislative momentum around AI and patient safeguards in Ohio.

Cleveland State University (CSU) has become a pioneer in the use of artificial intelligence for both recruitment and alumni engagement by rolling out two specialized AI team members: Claire and Ava.

Claire, an AI-powered recruiter, guides prospective students through application and enrollment, offering interactive, human-like conversations - so effective that “many students are more interested and more comfortable talking with an AI recruiter than a real person,” said Randall Deike, CSU Vice President of Enrollment.

Meanwhile, Ava, developed in partnership with Boston-based Givzey, focuses on strengthening connections with the university's 140,000 alumni (85% of whom reside in Northeast Ohio), using personalized emails and texts to answer questions, foster philanthropy, and streamline advancement efforts.

The AI systems are trained with insights from faculty interviews and a university-fed knowledge base to maintain accuracy and transparency.

“Ava represents our commitment and desire to connect with our community both broadly and personally...she gives us the capacity to accomplish more and, in turn, support more of our students, University programs, and success initiatives,” said Julie Rehm, CSU's vice president for University Advancement.

As CSU modernizes outreach to address high workloads and evolving communication preferences, alumni and students can opt in or out and always reach a real staff member if they prefer.

For a deeper perspective on this digital-driven transformation, explore the in-depth report from Crain's Cleveland Business on AI's role in CSU recruitment and fundraising, discover the background of Ava's development with Givzey in CSU's official announcement of their first fully autonomous AI team member, and examine how AI tools are shaping alumni relations in Hoodline's coverage of CSU's partnership with Givzey.

University Hospitals in Cleveland has become the first U.S. healthcare system to deploy GE HealthCare's newly FDA-cleared Aurora SPECT/CT system, featuring the advanced AI-powered Clarify DL image reconstruction technology.

This dual-head hybrid imaging platform is designed to provide clinicians with exceptional diagnostic clarity and workflow efficiency, offering twice the detector coverage of typical hybrid CTs and broad applicability for cardiology, oncology, and neurology.

Clarify DL's deep learning algorithms enhance image resolution in 98% of clinical bone SPECT exams - without increasing scan time or radiation dose - and received high marks for image quality in a clinical evaluation involving 127 cases reviewed by nine physicians.

Percival Kane, COO of UH Ahuja Medical Center, highlighted the operational impact, stating,

“Patient flow and operational efficiency are crucial. Aurora is the ideal choice, with its Revolution Ascend CT technology matching our radiology department equipment.”

Aurora's seamless integration not only streamlines technologists' workflow but also improves comfort for diverse patient populations, including those with high BMI. The AI-enhanced system is expected to accelerate clinical decision-making and support precision medicine.

For further details on the milestone deployment, refer to University Hospitals' official announcement on GE HealthCare's Aurora and Clarify DL clearance, the technical overview from Open Data Science, and a summary of industry impact on Healthcare Finance News.

Cleveland's rise as a proving ground for national AI and tech policy is encapsulated by a multifaceted surge in innovation, investment, and debate. Regional initiatives such as the Ohio Third Frontier's $67.4 million in funding for startups and technology entrepreneurs spur commercialization of breakthroughs in healthcare, robotics, and AI across the state, with Cleveland institutions like JumpStart Inc.

receiving sizable allocations to nurture the region's entrepreneurial ecosystem. As the Cleveland Clinic fosters new frontiers in AI - from strategic global partnerships with G42 to pioneering “head-to-head” AI scribe pilots - local leaders underscore a commitment to ethical, data-driven implementation and transparent collaboration.

“Cleveland Clinic sees great promise for artificial intelligence in healthcare... AI will enable us to scale healthcare to more patients with greater safety, quality, and a better experience. It leads to higher efficiency for clinicians to spend more time caring for patients.” – Dr. Rohit Chandra, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Officer

Yet these advances unfold amid intense policy discussion: Federal proposals could restrict state-level AI regulation for a decade, sparking bipartisan concern about unchecked risks like algorithmic bias, privacy erosion, and election interference (see Cleveland.com editorial board roundtable).

As national leaders - and Cleveland's legal community - warn that far-reaching rules and protections are imminent, the city's dynamic convergence of healthcare, civic, and tech voices positions Cleveland as a model for balancing innovation and public trust.

For a deeper dive into the technologies and partnerships powering Cleveland's AI-driven transformation, including firsthand accounts from hospital executives, visit this recent Forbes coverage on how the Cleveland Clinic is innovating in healthcare with data, analytics, and AI.