This Month's Latest Tech News in Columbus, OH - Wednesday April 30th 2025 Edition

Columbus's tech sector is entering a critical period this spring. Microsoft's decision to pause its $1 billion data center investment in Licking County - mirrored by similar slowdowns nationally - casts uncertainty on local job creation and the region's future as a digital infrastructure hub.

Local officials expressed cautious optimism as Microsoft reaffirmed its commitments to infrastructure upgrades and community initiatives, while keeping farmland use active at two sites; however, the firm's broad reassessment raises questions about oversupply and market demand (Microsoft halts Central Ohio data centers).

Meanwhile, Intel's $8 billion semiconductor plant, another pillar of Columbus's ambitions, faces significant delays into the 2030s amid layoffs and financial strain, though Ohio's leadership remains hopeful about long-term returns (Intel's Ohio chip plant outlook).

Amid these setbacks, local startups like CHAI are bucking the trend - surpassing $30 million in annual recurring revenue ahead of schedule and rapidly expanding their workforce, signaling resilience and the importance of diversification (Social AI startup CHAI surpasses growth forecasts).

This spring, Columbus sits at a technological crossroads, with its reliance on mega-projects giving way to a renewed focus on regional innovation and digital skill-building.

Microsoft has paused its planned $1 billion investment for three new data centers in central Ohio amid fluctuating demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure and ongoing economic uncertainties.

The affected campuses, located in New Albany, Hebron, and Heath, were part of a broader $80 billion global AI infrastructure push, yet early-stage construction is now halted and two of the sites are temporarily reverting to farmland while Microsoft continues to fund local infrastructure upgrades and re-evaluate its strategy.

According to company officials, such pauses are common as the tech giant aligns its extensive expansion with evolving business priorities and customer demand; economic pressures such as rising material costs and new tariffs have also played a significant role, as highlighted in an Engineering News-Record report on Microsoft's data center pause in Ohio.

A wider industry reset is underway as other cloud providers - including AWS - manage their own capacity increases with similar caution. This industry shift is raising concerns among lawmakers and community leaders about job impacts, energy demand, and long-term growth, with some cautioning that large-scale data centers could lead to higher utility rates for residents.

As one local news report observed, Columbus-area officials responded carefully to Microsoft's data center delay, who emphasized continuing collaboration and hope for future development.

The broader context - including Microsoft's shifting relationship with OpenAI and renewed competition from Google and Meta - suggests that tech companies are prioritizing agility over aggressive expansion for now, as further analyzed by eMarketer's analysis of Microsoft's infrastructure scaling.

Below is a table summarizing key quantitative impacts:

Metric	Value
Ohio Data Center Investment Paused	$1 billion
Planned New Albany Data Center Size	245,000 sq ft, $420 million
Microsoft's Announced Global AI Spend (FY 2025)	$80 billion
States Offering Data Center Incentives	36

“In recent years, demand for our cloud and AI services grew more than we could have ever anticipated and to meet this opportunity, we began executing the largest and most ambitious infrastructure scaling project in our history.” – Noelle Walsh, President, Microsoft Cloud Operations + Innovation

Columbus has rolled out cutting-edge Next Generation 911 (NG911) services, introducing real-time AI-driven text translation and live video streaming to enhance emergency response for its diverse population of over one million residents.

The system, deployed through a partnership with Intrado, empowers residents to text 911 in over 55 languages and share live video feeds from their smartphones with call takers - key advances particularly vital for Columbus' large immigrant communities and individuals with hearing or speech impairments.

These upgrades are designed to reduce emergency response times and bolster situational awareness for first responders. In 2024 alone, the city's Emergency Communications Center processed over 31,000 text messages and handled more than 1.4 million calls, underscoring the significance of accessible communications.

As Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther emphasized,

“No one should be unable to call for help when they need it most. These inclusive technologies will help make our city even safer and stronger through more equitable access to emergency services.”

Residents' privacy is safeguarded, with video feeds initiated only by call takers and deactivated after each session.

The table below presents key 2024 statistics:

911 Stats	Volume
Total Phone Contacts	1,400,000+
911 Calls	671,341
Non-Emergency Calls	709,381
Text Messages	31,633
Languages Supported	55+

To learn more about the city's advanced emergency technology and how these features are making Columbus a leader in public safety response, visit the official Intrado news release on Columbus OH 911 services upgrade, explore the Cities Today feature on AI and multimedia transformation in Columbus 911, and see a comprehensive summary at Columbus.gov's detailed announcement of new 911 capabilities.

Ohio police departments are rapidly increasing their use of advanced technology - ranging from drones and AI to surveillance cameras and robots - to boost public safety and modernize crime prevention.

In Dublin and Hamilton County, police have invested in fleets of drones, with Hamilton County deploying drones autonomously as first responders and Dublin equipping their robots with 360-degree cameras and two-way communication to assist across the city, sometimes arriving on-scene in under 90 seconds.

The Dayton Police Department expanded its drone operations to over 370 flights in 2024 and upgraded its downtown security network with state-of-the-art Axis cameras, utilizing new platforms like Flock for automatic license plate recognition across the city Ohio's AI and drone adoption in policing.

Meanwhile, Cleveland and other law enforcement agencies are integrating facial recognition AI through tools like Clearview AI, but this move is sparking major legal and ethical debates, including a recent court case where evidence was excluded due to lack of disclosure about the technology's use, potentially setting a new statewide legal standard Ohio's pivotal facial recognition legal battle.

While police tout enhanced efficiency, civil rights advocates, led by the ACLU, emphasize the need for transparent oversight and warn that the unchecked spread of AI-powered surveillance could erode fundamental privacy rights.

As Amy Gilbert of the ACLU of Ohio stated,

“Face recognition technology grants police unprecedented and dangerous power because it doesn't require the knowledge, consent, or participation of the individual and is often used in secretive ways without oversight.”

For a closer look at how Ohio cities are leveraging - and scrutinizing - these technologies, including community reactions, review the comprehensive coverage of expanded camera and drone programs in Dayton Dayton's technology upgrades.

Ohio lawmakers are making a decisive move against the misuse of artificial intelligence with the introduction of Senate Bill 163, aiming to close legal gaps that allow the creation and distribution of AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The bill, sponsored by Senators Louis W. Blessing, III and Terry Johnson, mandates that all AI-generated content must include a machine-readable digital watermark and expressly prohibits simulated child pornography as well as identity fraud using a person's digital likeness.

This measure responds to mounting concerns over AI's role in creating materials indistinguishable from real imagery, which, according to the ENOUGH ABUSE® research on AI-generated child sexual abuse material, contributed to over 7,000 reports of AI-related CSAM to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in just the past two years, even as Ohio remains among 12 states without comprehensive AI CSAM laws.

The legislative action is part of a national trend: 38 states have already criminalized AI-generated or computer-edited CSAM, reflecting widespread recognition of both its psychological harm and the challenges it poses for law enforcement.

Penalties under SB 163 range from third-degree felonies for creators and distributors to fourth-degree felonies for possession. Despite tech industry concerns that watermarking may hinder innovation and is technologically complex, bill sponsors argue that legal intervention is necessary to protect minors and uphold public confidence.

As Senator Bill Blessing emphasized,

“We cannot rely solely on the courts or industry to self-regulate - Ohio needs a clear legal framework for AI-related harm.”

To see the bill's progress, read the official Ohio Senate Bill 163 text or follow its action history and sponsors on FastDemocracy's bill tracker for Ohio Senate Bill 163.

Columbus' own StormImpact, an Ohio State University spinoff harnessing artificial intelligence to predict and mitigate storm-induced power outages, has been acquired by a leading Miami-based storm-response firm after just three years in operation.

Co-founded by OSU climatologist Steven Quiring, StormImpact developed machine learning models that have enabled more than 20 utilities - including American Electric Power (AEP), FirstEnergy, and Southern Company - to proactively position repair crews, resulting in an average 20% reduction in storm response costs.

As Quiring explains,

“The primary cause of power outages is weather related, and especially trees blowing onto power lines or trees losing limbs… They need to make a call well before the storm occurs so that people can be there and positioned and ready.”

The robust market reception for StormImpact's technology stems from its dynamic risk assessments and tailored geographic data, empowering utilities to minimize disruptions and safeguard critical infrastructure.

The Technology Commercialization Office at Ohio State played a pivotal role in bringing this innovation to market - “This company definitely owes its start to Ohio State,” said Quiring.

To learn more about StormImpact's acquisition and industry impact, see the full Columbus Business First report on StormImpact's acquisition, delve into how StormImpact revolutionizes power outage prevention at Ohio State University, or explore Ohio State's broader AI research initiatives in the university's advanced weather radar research news portal.

The Midwest has become a national proving ground for automated trucking as Ease Logistics launches an $8.8 million truck platooning project along Interstate 70, connecting Columbus and Indianapolis.

Through a partnership with the Ohio and Indiana Departments of Transportation and technology provider Kratos Defense, two semi-autonomous tractor-trailers electronically link together: the lead driver's actions - such as steering, braking, and accelerating - are mirrored by the following truck, which is also staffed by a trained professional able to override automation at any time.

This project, partially funded by a U.S. Department of Transportation grant, focuses on real-world performance in challenging weather, fuel efficiency, and enhanced safety.

Trucks are equipped with advanced cameras and sensors to detect obstacles, and a purple light signals "platooning mode" to law enforcement. As explained in Trucking Dive, extensive driver training preceded deployment, underpinning the project's safety-first approach.

“Unlike human drivers, automated vehicles do not drive impaired, text while driving, fall asleep at the wheel, or recklessly speed. The goal of this technology is to take the human error out of the safety equation,”

noted Ohio State Highway Patrol Captain Chris Kinn, whose remarks were echoed across multiple industry reports.

The table below summarizes the initiative's key data points:

Route	Details
I-70 between Columbus, OH & Indianapolis, IN	I-70 between Columbus, OH & Indianapolis, IN
Operator	Ease Logistics
Technology Provider	Kratos Defense
Funding	$8.8 million, partially USDOT grant
Deployment	April 2025–2026

As detailed in Forbes' deep-dive on Ohio's truck automation, this initiative sets the stage for broader adoption of high-tech trucking solutions and plans for expanding to SAE Level 2 and Level 4 autonomous vehicles in 2025.

For more on the project's real-world impact and evolution, see FreightWaves' analysis of autonomous truck platooning adoption in the Midwest.

Columbus-based x-hoppers has secured national recognition by winning the “Anti-Theft Security Solution of the Year” award at the 2025 RetailTech Breakthrough Awards, marking a milestone for local innovation in AI-powered retail security.

Launched in 2024, x-hoppers' platform leverages advanced artificial intelligence to detect suspicious behavior in real time through computer vision, integrates seamlessly with store CCTV, and instantly alerts staff using wireless headsets and smart call points.

According to performance data, this solution helps cut retail theft (shrink) by up to 60%, detects up to 26 theft attempts daily per store, and reduces employee training time by 50% - significantly improving both loss prevention and operational efficiency.

Key Metrics	Impact
Shrink Reduction	60%
Theft Detection (per day, per store)	Up to 26 incidents
Training Time Reduction	50%

The platform was further enhanced this year with gesture-based recognition, voice-activated AI assistants, and automated inventory alerts, all helping to create a frictionless shopping experience.

As CEO Ian Rowan notes,

“Our AI-driven platform empowers retail teams with real-time communication and proactive security alerts, creating a frictionless shopping experience, reducing losses and improving operations.”

The x-hoppers initiative is part of a larger wave of digital transformation in brick-and-mortar retail, demonstrating how Columbus is contributing to the future of smart store security.

For more on these AI-driven innovations and their nationwide rollout, visit The AI Insider's feature on x-hoppers' latest platform upgrades and the official x-hoppers product release announcement.

Ohio University's Digital Art and Technology students have partnered with the Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) to pioneer AI-driven art installations for OSC's state-of-the-art Cardinal high-performance computing cluster.

This collaboration, launched in 2023, empowers students to access cutting-edge AI tools like Stable Diffusion Automatic 1111 via OSC's Open OnDemand platform - ensuring equitable and remote access regardless of personal computing resources.

The Cardinal cluster, which ranks No. 15 globally for energy efficiency thanks to advanced liquid cooling technology, provides the horsepower for students to generate complex, Ohio-inspired digital artwork at unprecedented speed and resolution.

As Assistant Professor Basil Masri Zada reflects,

“It's important for students to understand how technology can enhance their artistic practice. This project is giving them a real-world application of how art and technology can intersect in a professional setting.”

The initiative also addresses the ethical use of AI in creative fields, fostering AI literacy and ensuring that student-generated content is responsibly sourced.

OSC's commitment to expanding access to supercomputing for disciplines beyond STEM is evident, as over 9,700 individuals and 2,345 organizations now utilize its 99.6% uptime resources, saving Ohio clients more than $9 million annually.

For more on OSC's mission and innovative student projects, explore the collaboration details at Blending Art and AI: Students Harness Supercomputing Power, discover OSC's powerful infrastructure at Explore OSC: Resources and Services, and see how Cardinal is setting new standards in energy efficiency at Cardinal Ranked on Global Green500 List.

Central Ohio is witnessing a significant spike in deepfake and AI-driven scams, raising urgent privacy concerns as residents and businesses face increasingly sophisticated threats.

Deepfakes - ultra-realistic audio, video, or images generated by artificial intelligence - have been weaponized by scammers to impersonate loved ones, trusted public figures, and company executives in classic fraud schemes such as the “Grandma! Help!” scam, now supercharged with AI voice cloning.

As cybersecurity experts warn,

“Only a few seconds of video, images, or your voice clip is absolutely enough for a criminal to replicate your behavior in terms of a deepfake,” said Rishabh Das, assistant professor at Ohio University.

One dramatic case involved a 73-year-old Ohio woman who lost $42,000 to a tech support scam before authorities managed to recover most of the funds; rapid response was key to freezing 81% of the fraudulent bitcoin transactions (how quick action helped recover stolen funds).

Nationally, financial losses from deepfake-enabled fraud exceeded $200 million in Q1 2025, with over 25% of surveyed executives reporting deepfake incidents last year and projections of $40 billion in U.S. fraud losses by 2027 (notable deepfake scams and prevention tips).

Consumers are urged to stay vigilant, use two-factor authentication, and develop code words among family members for identity verification. Law enforcement and experts at the Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio recommend reporting suspicious activity immediately, as the legal system lacks robust federal protections.

The following table provides an overview of recent deepfake-related fraud statistics:

Statistic	Value	Source
Q1 2025 financial losses	$200 million	Variety/Resemble AI
Organizations experiencing deepfake incidents in last 12 months	25.9%	Deloitte
U.S. projected deepfake fraud losses by 2027	$40 billion	Deloitte

“It's the same tactics: ‘I need money for bail, I'm in jail, I need to pay an attorney.' You can always hang up. You can always call someone. There's no reason to be polite to these people. Hang up. Call your person. I promise you your person is going to pick up and say they're fine.”
- Lee Anne Lanigan, Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio

This April, Columbus, OH launched transformative Next Generation 911 (NG911) services, elevating public safety with advanced AI-powered features that break down longstanding communication barriers in emergency response.

Through a partnership with Intrado, the city now provides real-time translation for texts in up to 55 languages and enables live video sharing from callers' smartphones - features that are especially vital in a city with over one million residents and one of the largest Somali communities in the U.S. As described by city officials, these upgrades help emergency call takers quickly detect language and dialect, translating messages within a second to speed up assessment and dispatch.

“In an emergency situation, it is absolutely critical to remove communication barriers, because seconds count,” stated Ken Coontz, Division of Support Services Administrator - a sentiment echoed by Mayor Andrew J. Ginther:

“Emergencies don't discriminate, and neither should our response systems. The language you speak should never be a barrier to safety.”

Launched on April 9, 2025 as part of a $1.5 million, five-year contract, the technology is already making a tangible impact, with over 31,000 emergency texts handled last year and new safeguards ensuring privacy and consent for video calls.

The upgrades are detailed in both the official Intrado case study on Columbus' emergency response transformation and are further covered in the Columbus Dispatch feature on new 911 accessibility.

These inclusive technologies not only provide critical context to first responders but also set a new standard for equitably serving diverse communities, as outlined by the city's own statement on Columbus.gov's announcement of new 911 capabilities.

NG911 Feature	Description	2024 Usage
Text-2-911 Translation	AI-powered real-time translation in 55 languages	31,633 texts
Video-to-911	Live video sharing from caller's phone with consent	Launched in 2025
Language Line Interpreter (Voice)	Traditional on-demand phone translation service	~4,000 calls

Columbus stands at a critical juncture as technology, policy, and economic growth intersect, shaping both opportunity and debate in Central Ohio. While tech giants such as Microsoft and Amgen fuel local momentum with multibillion-dollar investments - promising thousands of jobs and boosting the region's GDP by $10.6 billion - lawmakers grapple with sweeping policy questions on AI regulation and privacy, evidenced by Senate Bill 163's efforts to criminalize AI-generated child imagery and identity fraud aimed at plugging critical legal loopholes.

As Senator Bill Blessing contends,

“If it exists and is every bit as depraved but it's manufactured rather than real, you should regulate that, not leave it to the courts or the markets to handle.”

This policy push unfolds alongside headline developments: data center jobs in Ohio have surged 54% since 2018, even as large-scale projects like Intel's semiconductor facility confront setbacks, casting uncertainty on the full realization of economic projections despite substantial federal and state backing.

The region's trajectory, outlined by energy infrastructure upgrades and a robust startup climate nurtured via grant initiatives, places Columbus at the crossroads of innovation and accountability.

For a breakdown of recent and projected economic impacts, see the table below. With sustained collaboration - across business, government, and civic groups - Columbus is poised to balance its rapid AI and tech progress with mindful regulation, ensuring a future that maximizes innovation while safeguarding community well-being.

Explore more on the city's transformative investments driving Central Ohio's digital economy forward.

Project/Initiative	Investment	Jobs Created	Status (2025)
Microsoft Data Centers	$1 Billion	Hundreds (plus 400 construction annually)	Underway
Amgen Biomanufacturing	$900 Million (total $1.4B+)	750	Expanding
Intel Semiconductor Plant	$28-30 Billion	3,000 (permanent), 7,000 (construction)	Delayed (to 2030s)
Ohio Data Center Sector	-	11,791 (direct); 84,000 (indirect/support)	Growing