While AI has already been felt on high-tech hubs such as San Francisco and Boston, AI advocates believe it will change jobs everywhere and in all industries. The report documents how this assumed transformation is unevenly performed using various proxies for what researchers call “AI preparation.”
Below are four charts to help you understand where this is important:
1. AI development remains highly focused on high-tech hubs.
Brookings divides US cities into five categories based on their AI-related industries and ready to hire job offers. To this end, we looked at the potential for local talent pool development, innovation in local institutions, and recruiting local businesses.
The “AI Superstar” mentioned above, of course, represents part of the San Francisco Gulf region. Meanwhile, the “Star AI Hub” includes metropolitan areas known for their technical work, such as Boston, Seattle, and Miami.
2. The concentration of workers and startups is also highly concentrated.
The data shows that the majority of people working with AI and startups focused on AI are clustered in the above technology hubs. The report found that nearly two-thirds of workers have been promoted with AI skills, and over 75% of AI startups have been established there. From New York and Seattle to Columbus, Ohio, to Boulder, Colorado, the so-called “Star AI hubs” make up another large part of the pie.
It is clear that most of the AI development is concentrated in certain metropolitan cities, and this pattern can perpetuate itself. However, the report states that “AI activity is spreading across most local economies across the country,” highlighting the need for policies to promote growth through AI without sacrificing the rest of the country.
3. The AI emerging centres show promise, but in some way they are missing.
Brookings claims there are 14 promising regions in development with AI and worker engagement beyond the large and obvious high-tech hub cities. These include cities surrounding academic institutions such as the University of Wisconsin at Madison and the University Station at A&M University of Texas, as well as local cultural centers such as Pittsburgh, Detroit and Nashville.
However, according to Brookings, these locations are lacking in several ways that limit their development. Take Columbia, South Carolina, for example. Despite its large regional population of around 860,000 and its immediate vicinity of the University of South Carolina, the report says the area is struggling to develop talent. There are relatively few students who graduate with a degree in science and engineering, and few people showcase their AI skills in their work profiles.
