OH! AI!

A special look: At Ohio State, AI is about people

Buckeyes are accelerating discoveries, rethinking classwork and asking hard questions about where artificial intelligence belongs in our lives.

What does the future look like? How do we use AI to our benefit? What should humans do and what should AI do? “Our bet at Ohio State is that we, as scholars, will answer these questions,” Executive Vice President and Provost Ravi V. Bellamkonda says.  

“If we don’t do it, then somebody else will do it for us, and we might not like that answer. I trust us as a community to answer these questions.”

An illustration showing a person in a hoodie inside a large circular frame, surrounded by abstract shapes, a globe, a butterfly drawing, two people standing together, and an Ohio State shirt.

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  • Ness Shroff, a man of Indian descent, smiles as he leans against a wall in a bright hallway at Ohio State. He has arms crossed and wears glasses, a suit jacket and patterned shirt. He looks like someone who would be fascinating to have a discussion with. Large windows line the corridor in the background.

    Ness Shroff, the Buckeye teaching AI to serve us

    From resilient networks to cross-country partnerships, the professor brings researchers together to make daily life safer.

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  • A young man smiles as he sits holding a tuba behind a microphone stand. His teacher stands close beside him with one hand on her hip. She wears bright red glasses and smiles with closed lips. She looks knowing and approving. They’re inside a music practice room.

    A new way to help tuba students find their pitch

    Doctoral student Will Roesch has creatively blended engineering and AI to reveal the airflow patterns that make each note.

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  • A white man smiles and stands inside a factory with his hands in pockets. Behind him is a giant robotic arm. He wears a sweatshirt, glasses and has neat hair and beard.

    Robots get smarter with a Buckeye’s big idea

    With 200 employees and a mission to fill a big need, Andy Lonsberry ’13 and Path Robotics expect a promising future.

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  • Angus Fletcher, a white man with neatly trimmed short hair, smiles and wears a patterned button-up shirt while standing outdoors with hands on hips. A brick building and a campus background with greenery appear behind him.

    Ohio State’s Angus Fletcher: AI will never replace us

    The bestselling author of “Primal Intelligence” says emotion, imagination and narrative thinking give humans the upper hand.

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  • A Black man slightly smiles as he poses for this portrait in a modern office setting with shelves and large windows in the background. He wears glasses and sport coat over over a collared shirt and sweater.

    This AI startup gives builders a smarter path forward

    With tools by Ojonimi Bako ’04, contractors can follow shifting tasks and timelines before small snags become big setbacks.

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  • A young woman with long hair smiles as she looks directly into the camera

    How one student went from skeptic to schooled

    A psychology major discovers how thoughtful guidance and hands‑on practice can make new technology feel useful, human and empowering.

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  • A Black woman grins as she holds a closed laptop and stands in front of a large mirror. IT reflects the back of her curly hair and patterned, stylish jacket. The hand not holding her laptop is on her hip. She comes across as bright, sunny and well-styled.

    Preparing social work students for high‑stakes care

    Lois Stepney ’95 MSW, ’23 PhD uses simulations to help Buckeyes bring compassion and clarity to difficult conversations.

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  • An illustration shows a large butterfly inside a circular frame surrounded by scientific diagrams. A small group of people stands behind the butterfly, reviewing papers and data, with abstract charts and symbols around them.

    Where data meets discovery for global conservation

    With bold collaboration, Tanya Berger-Wolf makes tools that help understand species and guide conservation decisions.

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  • An Asian woman smiles as she sits in a modern indoor space on a curved chair, wearing a fitted blazer over a striped shirt with hands resting together. Tall windows, stately columns and additional chairs are visible in the background.

    A Buckeye researcher redefines drug design

    With AI models that craft and refine new molecules in seconds, Xia Ning ’24 MBA is helping transform how future therapies take shape.

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  • Stylized illustrations show 2 circles. One has a dentistry patient, doctor and large tooth. The other has a smartphone and interconnected logistics.

    Better than ChatGPT: Faculty-built bots help students

    Leveraging curriculum expertise, these AI assistants guide learners through complex material and sharpen understanding.

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  • A medical professional in a white coat points to breast imaging scans on a computer monitor while another person sits nearby, looking at the screen.

    Smarter AI supports clearer choices in patient care

    Ohio State scientists pair data and clinical insight to find risks sooner, cut medication dangers and guide better decisions. 

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  • A group of law students sit together in a lounge-style area with small tables, using laptops and tablets, while Professor Dennis Hirsch stands and speaks with them. He’s talking with his hands as he explains a point.

    Guiding AI with values that protect us all

    At the Center on Responsible AI and Governance, Dennis Hirsch leads efforts to shape research and talent for a safer future.

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  • A Black man smiles as he stands in a hallway with hands in pockets, wearing a sport jacket and jeans, positioned near a wooden staircase with an arched doorway visible in the background.

    AI helps a builder rethink what’s possible

    With fresh perspective and Fisher‑sharpened skills, Levi Duncan turns vision into momentum for revitalizing Springfield. 

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  • a decorative image of a brain icon

    The present & the future: A tale of concrete examples

    Here’s how students at Ohio State will become AI fluent in 4 years and how 5 Buckeyes have used AI to solve problems.

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  • Ohio State President Ted Carter gestures as he speaks to an audience in a bright event space with tall windows. Attendees sit in rows facing him, listening with rapt attention. They’re all wearing suits or similar formal attire.

    Why this moment in tech feels different

    A fast‑moving generation of ideas is opening new doors—and Ohio State is preparing students, says Molly Ranz Calhoun ’86.

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Top illustration by Olga Aleksandrova