2025 agenda

November 19, 2025 • Columbus State Community College

presented by

9:45 AM

Doors open, registration, + Vendor expos

Sponsored by Arista Networks

10:30 AM

Opening remarks + OPENING KEYNOTE: THE STATE OF AI IN Ohio

ROBERT SPRAGUE

Ohio Treasurer

michael farrar

CIO @ City of Westerville

ben blanquera

VP, AI and Sustainability
@ Rackspace Technology

chris berry

President @ OhioX

11:00 AM

AI, Data Centers, and Ohio’s Infrastructure Advantage (Panel #1)

Ohio is quickly becoming a national hub for AI infrastructure, thanks to billions in new investments from hyperscalers like Google, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft. With a growing network of data centers, abundant clean energy, and strategic location advantages, the state is building the digital backbone of the AI economy.

This session will explore why tech giants are betting on Ohio, the convergence of compute and energy, and how this infrastructure boom is creating ripple effects across the workforce and broader economy.

Doug Kelly

CEO @ American Edge Project

JEFF MURRAY

Senior Manager, Government Affairs & Public Policy @ Google

merle madrid

Principal, Public Policy @ AWS

chris abrams

Director, Technology Sector @ JobsOhio

11:40 AM

AI Sprint #1 -

Intelligent Welding: Physical AI for Manufacturing

Manufacturing is facing record demand but an unprecedented welding labor shortage. Traditional automation, limited to low mix production, has stalled at 30% adoption. Path Robotics integrates vision and AI to enable true Intelligent Welding, systems that adapt, learn, and weld autonomously, bridging workforce gaps and redefining manufacturing productivity.

Nima Gard, Director of AI at Columbus-based Path Robotics, will spotlight how the company is leveraging advanced AI to re-industrialize America — starting in Ohio’s manufacturing heartland.

Nima gard

Director of AI @ Path Robotics

12:00 PM

leadership remarks:

Ohio secretary of state Frank larose

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose will kick off our lunch session with remarks on how Ohio can lead in the age of AI—by building public trust, modernizing infrastructure, and supporting innovation that strengthens both our economy and democracy.

Frank LaRose

Ohio Secretary of State

lunch + Networking

12:10 - 1:00 PM

Sponsored by Calfee

1:00 PM

AI in Action Across Ohio (Panel #2)

Leaders from Verizon, Velera, Westfield Insurance, and Case Western Reserve University will share how they moved enterprise AI from pilot to production, spanning intelligent document processing, “talk to data” solutions, and full conversational experiences.

In a world that's increasingly excited about AI but largely failing to move beyond the pilot, these leaders will share how they secured executive buy-in, aligned talent and resources, tackled governance and change management challenges, and how they measured success.

Cal Al-Dhubaib

Head of AI & Data Science @ Further

MIRO HUMER

VP & CIO @ Case Western Reserve University

elizabeth wadsworth

Sr. AI Innovation Strategist @ Velera

don hurrle jr

Head of Generative AI @ Westfield Insurance

Break #2

1:40 - 2:00 PM

Sponsored by Arista Networks

2:00 PM

Afternoon Breakouts #1

Breakout #1A: Main Room

Fluent or Frozen: Inside the Battle to
Turn AI into Advantage

AI isn’t a side project—it’s a survival skill. But turning ambition into adoption takes more than algorithms.

Join Ben Blanquera and Brian Lichtle for a no-fluff conversation on what separates the AI-fluent from the AI-frozen. Based on Rackspace Technology’s internal experience as well as 100+ global engagements they’ll share battle-tested lessons from the field—how top enterprises are scaling from proofs of concept to full production, transforming culture, and delivering outcomes that matter.

If you’re ready to move past the hype and learn what real AI transformation looks like, this is the session you can’t afford to miss.

ben blanquera

VP, AI and Sustainability
@ Rackspace Technology

Brian Lichtle

CTO @ Rackspace IT

Breakout #1B: breakout Room

Building Ohio’s AI Workforce (PAnel)

Ohio’s AI opportunity is only as strong as its people. This session spotlights how companies, universities, and workforce programs are preparing Ohioans to thrive in an AI-powered economy.

From up-skilling initiatives and TechCred to university–industry partnerships and on-the-job training, panelists will share practical examples of how organizations of all sizes are equipping their teams for the future.

Attendees will learn how these programs are closing talent gaps, creating pathways into high-demand roles, and ensuring Ohio’s workforce is ready to meet the challenges—and seize the opportunities—of the AI era.

lisa chambers

CEO @ Tech Corps

kristy wedel

Founder @ ReMemora

vince castillo

Assistant Professor of Logistics @ The Ohio State University

tom bush

Founder, CEO @ EmpoweredAI and Actual Reality Technologies

stephen white

Chief Strategy Officer @ COSI

Break #2

2:30 - 2:50 PM

Sponsored by Arista Networks

2:50 PM

Afternoon Breakouts #2

Breakout #2A: main room

AI ROI: From Proof of Concept to Enterprise Scale (Panel)

Many organizations are experimenting with AI—but few are capturing real, repeatable business value. This session explores how leading teams are turning promising pilots into enterprise-wide impact, with measurable ROI.

Panelists will share lessons learned from scaling AI solutions across departments, aligning projects with business goals, and building internal support from the C-suite down. Whether you're just starting or working to expand, this session will offer a clear roadmap for going from idea to implementation to impact.

Learn what separates AI experiments from AI advantage—and how to get there.

brad reynolds

Co-founder, CSO & SVP Artificial Intelligence @ Expedient

gaby martin

Director, Emerging Technology Practice @ CGI

Bharath Prabhakaran

Vice President & Chief Digital Officer @ University of Cincinnati

tyler conn

Senior Product Manager @ Hyland

Breakout #2B: breakout room

Co-Pilots, Not Replacements – Unleashing Human Potential with AI (PAnel)

The true power of AI lies not in replacing people—but in amplifying what they can do. This session explores how organizations are using AI to 10x productivity by designing tools that serve as co-pilots, not competitors.

Leaders from across sectors will share how AI is being integrated into workflows to free up time, reduce friction, and unlock higher-value thinking. From internal copilots to customer-facing automation, panelists will cover what it takes to build a culture of augmentation—not automation.

Learn how to reshape teams, train users, and adopt tools that elevate human potential in the AI era.

Elad Granot

3X Business School Dean, Tech Founder, + Investor

mel mcgee

Co-Founder @ SkillSpout

quentin fisher

Founder, Chief Product & Technology Officer @ Aidan Systems

Will Burrus

Chief Product Officer
@ Expeed Software

Break #3

3:20 - 3:40 PM

Sponsored by Arista Networks

3:40 pM

Beyond Underwriting: How Upstart is Scaling AI Across the Enterprise

Upstart leaders Grant Schneider and Lynn Sautter Beal will pull back the curtain on how the company is moving from pioneering ML-driven underwriting to building an AI-enabled enterprise.

Grant will walk through Upstart’s evolution in model development and the emerging LLM Platform powering their next wave of innovation. Lynn will preview how AI is being embedded across products and workflows, showcasing real use cases like VC automation and agent-driven systems that take action, not just surface insights.

This session offers a practical look at how a high-growth company is operationalizing AI everywhere.

Grant Schneider

Vice President of Machine Learning @ Upstart

Lynn Sautter Beal

Vice President, Consumer Lending Operations @ Upstart

4:00 pM

Charting Ohio’s AI Path: building Ohio’s AI Future Together (AI SPRINt #4)

The AI Summit concludes with an interactive design sprint will unveil exclusive insights gathered from leading tech executives at some of Ohio’s largest companies, highlighting the state’s current AI landscape and key opportunities.

Participants will then engage in a live strategy forum to share their perspectives, followed by an open-sourced conversation to collaboratively explore where Ohio’s greatest AI potential truly lies.

This session is designed to foster real-time dialogue and collective vision-building, helping shape the future of AI across Ohio’s business and innovation ecosystem. We invite every attendee to play a role in this important conversation.

ben blanquera

VP, AI and Sustainability
@ Rackspace Technology

keith instone

Director, Community Experience @ OhioX

chris berry

President @ OhioX

This session is presented by FAIR by Rackspace

Reception

4:30 pm

Sponsored by FAIR by Rackspace

Join us for the closing happy hour reception where attendees can unwind, continue conversations from the day, and network with peers in a relaxed atmosphere. Enjoy refreshments, connect with speakers, and reflect on key takeaways as we wrap up the event on a high note. It’s the perfect opportunity to build new relationships and celebrate Ohio’s growing AI community.