Inside Ohio’s AI Reckoning: Data Centers, Rising Bills & Toss-Up Elections

Ohio has over 220 data centers — the fifth-most of any state — and zero comprehensive AI-specific laws.

Here’s what that collision means for November.

Ohio is ground zero for the AI infrastructure boom: Meta is building the world’s first gigawatt-scale AI facility in New Albany, Amazon has committed billions to data center investment, and Columbus is on track to become one of the largest data center hubs in the country. But that growth is now colliding with rising electricity bills, community pushback, and a manufacturing workforce exposed to AI-driven automation — all while the state has passed no laws governing any of it.

AI on the Ballot is a weekly series exploring the 2026 US midterms through the lens of AI policy — state by state, race by race.

New episodes every week. Watch the full series on the RegulatingAI YouTube channel and listen on all major podcast platforms.

AI on the Ballot is a non-partisan program of Regulating AI, a 501(c)(3) organization, in association with GIE Foundation. Appearances do not constitute an endorsement. 

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