Jackson Twp. − Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted and a committee of industry leaders, academic educators, and students are particularly optimistic about the potential of artificial intelligence (AI).
“Innovation is the foundation of the world we live in today,” Husted said Friday at Stark State University.
He emphasized the importance of leveraging “assistive technology,” such as virtual assistants like Alexa and speech-to-text software, to ensure Ohio businesses and workers don't miss out on opportunities. Panel participants will discuss how AI has made business operations more efficient and secure, and he will discuss how AI will improve people's overall quality of life and give U.S. manufacturing a competitive advantage. I shared an example of how you can bring an advantage.
Most said they came here to learn from each other. Stark County Commissioner Bill Smith said he sees AI as another element to diversifying the local economy.
“This is exciting,” he said. “It's just another piece of the puzzle we have.”
A group of about 20 people gathered for a roundtable discussion on National AI Literacy Day at the WR Timken Information Technology Center. Stark State University President Para Jones said the center was built about 20 years ago when it became clear that technology and automation were converging with automation and manufacturing.
“Twenty years later, we have established a new AI institute,” she said.
Husted toured Intel/Dell's AI lab, which is equipped with high-performance computers, and the adjacent electronics lab, which is filled with computers, robots, and 3D printing equipment. This lab and university's AI training curriculum was created through his $40,000 grant from Intel, Dell Technologies, and the American Association of Community Colleges.
Stark State University participates in Intel's AI Workforce Preparation Program. This program provides AI training content to community colleges to prepare the workforce for jobs involving AI. The university created his two AI certification programs to be offered this fall, and Jones said more certifications and associate degrees could be added in the future.
“What we do in education is stay current and think ahead,” she says.
Highlights of the event include:
- Kevin Hoggart, Intel's director of government affairs in Ohio, said AI has been around for a while, but it hasn't been scaled up yet. “At Intel, we believe that AI is everywhere,” he said, adding that the company is building specialized processors into personal computers to enable AI applications without the need for additional bandwidth or cloud storage. It is said that there is.
- Harun Rashid, vice president of information services and chief information officer at Akron Children's Hospital, said the health system launched an AI-powered virtual nursing program six months ago that pairs new nurses with experienced mentors. . Another change is also planned to allow doctors to use a phone app to transcribe visit records. Rashid, who is also a trustee of the university, said these are examples of how AI can help eliminate “mundane and repetitive” tasks that cause “burnout.”
- Andrew Bisso, vice president of engineering, reliability and manufacturing excellence at Metallus, said the company uses AI programs to alert employees if they are in an unsafe location or if a product is defective. He said he could check to see if there were any. “We are doing a lot of things to improve safety,” he said.
- Several panelists discussed societal fears that AI will eliminate jobs, but said they see it more as a transition to jobs with different skill sets. “It's not a threat to replace them,” Husted said. “It’s a collaboration to make them better.”
Contact Kelly at 330-580-8323 or kelly.byer@cantonrep.comX: @kbyerREP.
