Mapping the Future of AI Hubs Across the US: Insights from Four Key Charts

AI's Uncertain Impact on Communities and Workplaces

The future transformation brought by AI in communities, workplaces, and society remains unpredictable. This uncertainty leaves many workers and local governments uncertain about how to prepare for AI's influence.

Brookings Institution's Interactive Report on AI Readiness

A newly released interactive report from the Brookings Institution maps how AI companies and jobs are embedded across various US regions. The goal is to guide policy measures to support areas struggling to keep pace with AI developments.

AI Development Concentrated in Established Tech Hubs

Brookings categorizes US cities into five groups based on their readiness to adopt AI-related industries and jobs. This classification considers local talent development, institutional innovation, and adoption potential among companies. The "AI Superstars" category mainly includes parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, while "Star AI Hubs" cover major tech-centric metropolitan areas such as Boston, Seattle, and Miami.

Centralized Concentration of AI Workers and Startups

Data reveals that the majority of AI workers and AI-focused startups are clustered within these tech hubs. Nearly two-thirds of AI-skilled workers and over 75% of AI startups are located in these regions. Other significant contributors include cities like New York City, Seattle, Columbus, and Boulder. Although AI activity is spreading across many regional economies, policy support is vital to foster growth without neglecting less developed areas.

Promising Emerging AI Centers with Development Gaps

Besides major tech cities, 14 regions show promise in AI development and workforce engagement. These include areas near universities like the University of Wisconsin in Madison and Texas A&M in College Station, as well as cultural hubs like Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Nashville. However, many of these centers face challenges such as limited talent development or weak innovation. For example, Columbia, South Carolina, struggles with science and engineering graduate output, while Tampa, Florida, contends with low university productivity affecting innovation. Most regions examined face adoption hurdles, measured by company use of AI tools like enterprise data and cloud services.

Emerging Centers Specialize in Federal or Venture Capital Funding

The report analyzes innovation and adoption by tracking federal AI research contracts and venture capital funding deals. Emerging centers tend to specialize either in government research contracts, exemplified by Huntsville, Alabama, or in attracting venture capital, like Sacramento, California. This specialization indicates areas for growth, with strong university presence playing a crucial role in success. Enhancing academia-industry partnerships could be key to strengthening local AI ecosystems.

"University presence is a tremendous influence on success here," notes Mark Muro, a report author.