As investment in artificial intelligence and the data processing sector continues to surge, Ohio has emerged as a viable alternative to Silicon Valley and Northern Virginia. But to remain attractive, Ohio needs to provide regulatory certainty to investors, entrepreneurs, and technology companies like Cincinnati’s Kernel.
State Reps. Tex Fischer, R-Boardman, and Steve Demetriou, R-Bainbridge Township, have sponsored the Ohio Right to Compute Act, House Bill 392, to offer that reassurance. The proposed legislation guarantees the right to use computers, software, and AI for lawful purposes without overly meddlesome government interference.
But it also safeguards against fraud and protects critical infrastructure by requiring AI developers to adhere to National Institute of Standards and Technology safety standards.
Perhaps most importantly, the bill will create a single, clear regulatory environment for the sector and prevent local governments from imposing a patchwork of contradictory rules that are expensive and difficult to follow.
The bill wisely rejects the California-European model that chokes innovation with too many precautionary rules and imposes significant compliance costs. Instead, it will help Ohio and America compete in the global race for AI supremacy against
China’s unconstrained investments by removing unnecessary regulatory obstacles.
Investment in AI data centers and information processing technology accounted for 92% of U.S. economic growth in the first half of 2025. Without this tech infrastructure buildout, growth would have been just 0.1%. And as power constraints push data center development away from Northern Virginia and Silicon Valley, a solid energy grid and a skilled workforce have Ohio poised to benefit.
Amazon has already contributed $3.8 billion and 4,700 jobs to Ohio’s economic growth and plans to invest another $10 billion in the state over the next five years. Columbus has been a technology hotbed for years and with The Ohio State University, Case Western Reserve University, and innovative, world class health care centers, Ohio offers AI and data tech firms a ready mix of tech talent and infrastructure.
As AI dramatically transforms health care, hospitals in Ohio are leading the way.
The Cleveland Clinic uses AI to identify diseases earlier and deliver personalized treatments, and its AI-related breakthroughs attract new investors, researchers, and doctors. Similarly, Amgen, a biotech firm, is investing $900 million to expand its operations in central Ohio.
But AI-powered systems are also spurring Ohio’s advanced manufacturing sector, too. Through optimization, quality control, and enhanced predictive maintenance, AI is making the state’s traditional strength – making things – even stronger. AI isn’t replacing Ohio’s manufacturing jobs, it’s making them more productive and better paid.
For several years, Ohio has laid the groundwork for stronger, sustained economic growth. The state has simplified its income tax system, reduced unnecessary occupational licensing, advanced energy abundance, and invested heavily in higher education to cultivate a 21st-century workforce. House Bill 392 builds on that foundation.
By providing regulatory clarity to technology firms and advanced industries, the Ohio Right to Compute Act will help attract skilled workers, retain talented graduates, leverage the state’s energy advantages, and mitigate investor risk in artificial intelligence. The state’s legislative message to burgeoning tech companies should be clear: Ohio is ready for them to build here, grow here, and succeed here.
Aswin Prabhakar is an economic research analyst at The Buckeye Institute.
