Mapping the US AI ecosystem

From 2023 to 2025, the US AI landscape was centred around deep technical breakthroughs, which became the magnet for major investment. By the end of 2025, this momentum had created hubs on both coasts.

The East Coast, driven by the academic prestige of Boston and Washington, D.C., produced the highest research volume in terms of papers and findings. The top five cities by research output in 2025 were:

1. Boston (704)
2. Washington, D.C. (679)
3. New York (661)
4. San Jose (562)
5. San Francisco (434)

While research output was distributed across the Atlantic and Pacific hubs, funding patterns told a much more centralised story. In 2025, the West Coast remained the undisputed investment stronghold.

1. San Francisco alone accounted for around 70% of total US AI investments.
2. The remaining capital was largely split between the Silicon Valley hub (San Jose) and New York.

The US ecosystem demonstrates a high correlation between research density and investment flow. Funding trends are targeting regions where research can be most rapidly converted into market-ready products. This creates a self-sustaining cycle where San Francisco and San Jose leverage their 70% investment share to attract more talent, thereby accelerating the growth of these established hubs even further.

While other regions face a disconnect between research outputs and funding, the US ecosystem´s main challenge is dominance of the West Coast, which essentially sets the course for the rest of the country in terms of AI.