We talk a lot about artificial intelligence reshaping the economy, but the reality is that AI’s geographic footprint looks more like a spotlight than a floodlight. According to a new Brookings Metro report, just 30 metropolitan areas in the U.S. are capturing two-thirds of all AI job postings — and if you’re betting on location-based investment, that matters.

Brookings analyzed 195 metro areas using three key metrics:

• Talent: The availability of AI-capable workers and degree programs

• Innovation: Research, R&D spending, and AI-related patents

• Adoption: Enterprise use, startup presence, and commercialization

From this, they broke the country into six tiers — and it tells a very clear story.

🏆 The AI Superstars

San Francisco and San Jose are in a league of their own. These are the only “Superstar” metros in Brookings’ model, dominating in talent, innovation, and adoption. Not coincidentally, this is where Google, Apple, and Meta are headquartered. Together, the Bay Area alone accounts for 13% of all AI job listings nationally.

⭐ The Star Hubs

A second tier of 28 metros — including Seattle, Austin, and Washington, DC — have strong, balanced AI ecosystems. These cities are where universities, venture capital, and corporate demand overlap.

🌱 The Up-and-Comers

Here’s where it gets interesting.

Fourteen metros are classified as Emerging Centers, combining strengths in two pillars (say, innovation and adoption) with growth potential in a third. Think Pittsburgh, Detroit, Madison, and Huntsville — not traditional tech magnets, but cities climbing the AI curve fast. They offer intriguing real estate angles as talent and capital flow in without the sticker shock of the coasts.

⚙️ The Movers, Adopters, and Laggards

• Focused Movers (29 metros): Strong in one pillar, solid footing in the others.

• Nascent Adopters (79 metros): Middle-of-the-pack in all three metrics.

• Others (43 metros): Lacking in talent, infrastructure, and industry pull.

Brookings’ big takeaway? While the Bay Area isn’t ceding its crown anytime soon, the AI map is spreading. For developers and investors, that diffusion creates a window. We’re not just talking about a Silicon Valley story anymore — AI-driven demand is coming to markets across the Sun Belt, Rust Belt, and beyond.

💡 What This Means for Us

From a real estate perspective, this type of data is invaluable. AI-readiness doesn’t just mean more tech jobs — it means new commercial demand, higher income tenants, and revitalized R&D corridors. As AI adoption accelerates in cities outside the coastal strongholds, watch for institutional capital, developers, and entrepreneurs to follow.

I’m already looking at Huntsville and Madison through a different lens. You should be too.

📍 Want more insight on how AI, migration, and economic trends are reshaping U.S. cities? Subscribe to The Buy & Build Show with Neal Bawa and I — launching soon.