Ohio State Hosts Researchers, Business Leaders to Share AI Strategies
Ohio State University recently hosted the AI in Business Conference, bringing together students, scholars, and business leaders from across the nation to discuss the implementation of AI in various fields. The event supported Ohio State's AI Fluency initiative, aiming to equip every student graduating from 2029 with AI proficiency in their respective disciplines.
The conference, held at The Blackwell Inn and Pfahl Conference Center, emphasized responsible AI adoption, highlighting the importance of a multidisciplinary approach. Dean of Fisher College of Business, Aravind Chandrasekaran, stated:
“Responsible AI adoption requires more than technological expertise. It takes a multidisciplinary understanding... We brought together individuals from all five academic departments... to move the conversation beyond AI’s potential to what it takes to implement this technology responsibly, effectively, and at scale.”
Vanitha Zacharias, Chief AI Strategist for the Ohio Department of Administrative Services, encouraged students to embrace AI education as professional development, emphasizing the continuous learning required in the field:
“As students, you are expected to learn a lot... Continue learning. Keep up this growth mindset... Especially when it comes to AI, you have to learn a lot. The scene changes every day...”
In a panel discussion, Fisher students and alumni shared their experiences translating AI knowledge from Ohio State into their professional lives.
Scott DiStefano, a May 2026 graduate now at Chase Bank, noted the efficiency gains from AI tools, but more importantly, the shift in problem-solving and decision-making:
“It’s definitely helped me work faster... Using AI to benchmark or sift through Excel data is really good and it does save a lot of time.”
Briana Lindemeyer, a 2025 graduate, described how AI streamlines her work as an HR professional at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs:
“If I want to pull references from medical journals... it’s an easy snapshot. It’s rather quick: ‘Okay, let me just put this [prompt] in here and see what comes back.’”
Minny Poon, a 2023 graduate, shared further insights, but the text does not provide details.