The AI capacity gap, by metro: adoption vs local talent

Each dot is one of the 25 largest US metros. Right = more businesses using AI; up = more AI-related specialists per 1,000 jobs. Bottom-right metros are adopting AI faster than they can staff it; top-left have talent to spare.

AI adoption: US Census Bureau Business Trends & Outlook Survey, 2026. AI talent = the 10 occupations most aligned to AI work (data scientists, AI research scientists, OR analysts, database architects and administrators, systems analysts, information security analysts, network architects, programmers, and IT managers) per 1,000 jobs, from US Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2024. Capacity gap = standardised adoption minus standardised talent.
Chart: DoubleTrackSource: US Census Bureau (BTOS) & US Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS)Get the data Download imageCreated with Datawrapper