Source: Fortune.com
Summary
Researchers at the Brookings Institution published a study on the geographic distribution of workers exposed to artificial intelligence (AI) in the United States. The study found that 62 of the 100 most AI-exposed counties voted Democratic in 2024. The authors noted a correlation between AI exposure and Democratic voting patterns, but distanced themselves from causal claims. The study’s findings may help explain the rise of democratic socialism in cities like New York, where Mayor Zohran Mamdani recently won a primary sweep.
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The numbers tell one story.
The Brookings study highlights the concentration of AI-exposed workers in Democratic-leaning metros, with 75% of the population of the top 100 most AI-exposed counties living in blue counties. The study’s authors, Mark Muro, Todd Jones, and Shriya Methkupally, found that the more educated and “office-based” the job, the more involved it is with AI. This has led to a rise in economic anxiety among Democratic-leaning professionals, who are now voting their frustration. Mamdani’s election and the Brookings study may be warning signs for the Democratic establishment.
The announcement sounds familiar: a politician promising to address the concerns of working-class voters, only to find that the most anxious voters are actually the ones with college degrees and decent salaries.
Author: Evan Null
