The uses range from having a multi-lingual AI virtual assistant to using AI to speed processing of calls and client documents.
Ohio received the Merrill Baumgardner Award from the Washington-based National Association of State Workforce Agencies, which honors states that demonstrate excellence in information technology and set benchmarks nationwide.
The award, presented annually, is named in honor of an Ohioan, according to NASWA. Merrill Baumgardner worked 55 years for the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services, 31 of which were spent as data processing manager.
The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development won the award in 2025.
“This award reflects the ongoing commitment of the DeWine-Tressel Administration to improve the experience for Ohioans we serve,” Matt Damschroder, director of the Department of Job and Family Services, said.
“The advancements made in our systems have resulted in faster, more reliable, and more accessible services for individuals who rely on us,” Damschroder said.
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services oversees a range of state programs including job training, unemployment insurance, food assistance, adult protective services and child support services.
The departments said that it has implemented four artificial-intelligence tools over the last year:
- A multilingual virtual assistant that allows people to file weekly unemployment claims and check their claim status in 15 languages.
- An intelligent document processing system that automates the classification and indexing of documents.
- An artificial intelligence bot used in call centers to speed up resolution times.
- An artificial intelligence tool that simplifies complex unemployment policy manuals.
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