Ohio State launches AI(X) Hub to lead next era of artificial intelligence research
Photo: The Ohio State University
The Ohio State University has launched the AI(X) Hub — pronounced “AI to the power of X” — a university-wide initiative aimed at accelerating research, innovation, and education in artificial intelligence. The new hub connects 15 colleges and focuses on six pillars: foundations, health, engineering and sciences, agriculture, cybersecurity, and trustworthy AI.
Why it matters
As AI reshapes industries and society, the move places Ohio State — and by extension, Ohio — at the center of a national effort to build expertise, ethics, and economic value around artificial intelligence. The launch aligns with President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr.’s Education for Citizenship 2035 plan, which calls for AI leadership as a defining goal of the university’s next decade.
The details
The AI(X) Hub is designed to equip researchers with advanced computing tools and shared data infrastructure to drive cross-disciplinary discovery.
It will serve as a “brain trust” for AI, uniting scientists, engineers, and domain experts to tackle problems spanning medicine, climate, cybersecurity, and agriculture.
A key goal is to bridge research and industry, helping translate university breakthroughs into commercial and societal applications.
The initiative is led by Ness Shroff, Ohio Eminent Scholar and a nationally recognized expert in AI and networking.
The hub also builds on Ohio State’s growing investment in AI education. Through the AI Fluency program, the university is embedding AI literacy into the core undergraduate curriculum — ensuring that students across all majors can understand, question, and create with emerging technologies.
The big picture
Ohio is fast becoming a hub for artificial intelligence and advanced computing, with major projects like Meta’s Prometheus data center, the Cleveland Clinic’s IBM Quantum Computer, and new defense and healthcare research investments. Ohio State’s AI(X) Hub adds another piece to the state’s growing position as a leader in AI research, workforce development, and innovation.