🌍 A Map for Founders, Regions Ready for the AI Leap

2 min read.

Author

Midas AI Research
July 17, 2025

A new Brookings report identifies which regions in the United States are truly prepared for the next wave of artificial intelligence.

It benchmarks 195 metropolitan areas using talent, innovation, and adoption metrics to reveal where resources, infrastructure, and enterprise readiness are aligned. Bay Area remains number one, but a growing number of Star Hubs and Emerging Centers are rising fast.

The takeaway? It’s no longer just about Silicon Valley. Smart founders can now localize their AI plays based on data and demand.

🧠 What the Report Uncovers

Brookings categorized regions into six tiers based on their readiness in three key pillars, talent, innovation, and organizational adoption. Elite metros like San Francisco and San Jose continue to dominate, dubbed the AI Superstars, with unmatched hiring, research, and infrastructure capacity.

Yet a growing second tier Star Hubs includes cities like New York, Chicago, Austin, and emerging hotspots like Miami, Madison, and Columbus. These regions now offer strong combinations of skilled workforce, institutional backing, and enthusiastic local industry.

The gap is widening, over half of the metro areas studied remain Nascent Adopters or lagging entirely. That spells opportunity. For founders, this means there are increasingly fertile grounds outside the coasts, especially where universities, local policy, and startups are aligning around AI builds.

🛠 What It Means for Founders and Builders

Founders can now scan regional readiness data to make strategic location choices, prioritizing access to deep talent pools, funding, and early adopter clients. Star Hubs offer balance good talent, research engines, and growing enterprise demand , without the intensity of Superstars. Emerging Centers and Focused Movers might lack full ecosystem depth but offer lower competition, real estate arbitrage, and hungry local governments.

If your product relies on finding early beta partners sensitive to AI infrastructure, you should prioritize metros with high adoption and research footprints. If you are building from the ground up, with a tight team, areas with supportive local policies, startup programs, and university collaboration could offer the right blend of cost and capability.

⚠️ What to Watch as You Scale

Regional readiness is not fixed. Brookings notes that infrastructure and workforce development are evolving swiftly, often with public policy pushes. Founders who double down early can harvest first mover advantages, securing local grants, joining regional incubators, and influencing enterprise adoption cycles. But stay vigilant, each tier requires different playbooks around talent, sales, and partnerships.

📚 Sources