AI Enhances Workplaces in Northeast Ohio
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Artificial intelligence is changing how companies operate, and some of Northeast Ohio’s Top Workplaces are adopting AI not to reduce jobs but to improve them. By automating routine tasks and improving customer service, AI allows employees to focus more on creative problem-solving, building client relationships, and driving innovation.
Top Workplaces 2025
For the 2025 Top Workplaces list, cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer gathered feedback from employees across more than 200 leading employers in Northeast Ohio.
Western Reserve Land Conservancy
Western Reserve Land Conservancy, a non-profit land bank, is experimenting with AI tools to boost efficiency and creativity. Isaac Robb, Vice President of Planning and Research, explains that staff, especially younger members, have been encouraged to explore AI organically. They use tools like DALL·E to create custom visuals for projects, convert lengthy reports into audio summaries, and polish meeting notes or synthesize data.
This approach reduces time spent on repetitive tasks, freeing employees to focus on mission-critical work. “The sky’s the limit with AI helping us make better, data-driven decisions, especially in urban areas,” Robb said.
The Conservancy’s biggest AI effort is a partnership with MetroHealth, Cleveland Clinic, and Case Western Reserve University’s Center for Population Health. Together, they combine data to model how environmental changes—like improving tree coverage or revitalizing vacant land—could lower rates of hypertension and asthma in Cleveland neighborhoods.
Robb also acknowledges that AI’s environmental impact is a concern. Training and running AI models consume large amounts of electricity, contributing to carbon emissions. The hardware required is resource-intensive to produce and generates electronic waste.
“If we can use AI tools to make our work more efficient and protect more places for more people early on, it’s worth having that conversation,” Robb added.
Responsible Adoption of AI
Responsible AI use is critical, says Lorri Stewart, Vice President of Risk and Compliance and Associate General Counsel for The Centers, one of Northeast Ohio’s largest nonprofits. Stewart leads the organization’s AI Oversight Committee, which includes leaders from IT, HR, clinical operations, marketing, and legal teams. The committee reviews how AI can boost productivity while protecting data and maintaining trust.
The Centers initially blocked most AI tools like ChatGPT but recently lifted restrictions after realizing blocking AI limited employee and organizational growth. Stewart noted, “We didn’t want to fall behind by ignoring AI.”
Now, employees can use AI for administrative tasks such as scheduling and drafting documents, which increases their capacity to focus on higher-value activities.
The committee developed an AI use policy to ensure ethical and legal compliance. It restricts sharing clients’ personal and health information with AI and prohibits uploading copyrighted or proprietary materials owned by The Centers.
“Not everyone is comfortable with AI, and that’s fine,” Stewart said. “Our goal is to help people use AI safely and effectively, supporting experimentation without forcing adoption.”
At both The Centers and Western Reserve Land Conservancy, AI has sparked important conversations about efficiency, ethics, privacy, and employee comfort.
“We’re still early in this journey,” Robb said. “But AI already lets us do more with less. It’s like having a brainstorming partner or an extra set of hands.”
Human resources professionals can take note of how these organizations balance innovation with responsibility, encouraging safe AI use that enhances employee roles without replacing them.
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