In an era of rapid technological advancement, Washington, DC has emerged as a beacon of innovation in the artificial intelligence sector. U.S. government spending on artificial intelligence contracts totaled $3.3 billion in 2022, and AI companies in DC benefit from direct access to federal contracts. Nearly 50% of AI-related job positions require a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance (TS/SCI), much more common in the nation’s capital than in the rest of the country. DC government has made AI a priority, releasing Artificial Intelligence Values, a roadmap for integrating generative AI into government operations that positions DC to be a nationwide leader in AI adoption.
From WDCEP’s Artificial Intelligence Overview, published 2024.
How DC ranks
- 4x the national average in concentration of Computer and Information Research Scientists talent in the U.S. — JobsEQ, covered employment, place of work, Q3 2023
- #1 in the U.S. for tech careers — Forbes Advisor, 2024
- #4 market for top tech talent in North America — CBRE, 2023
- $3.3 billion in U.S. government AI contract spending in 2022 — JLL, Capital of Artificial Intelligence, Fall 2023
The AI job market
The AI job market in DC is booming, with postings for AI-related positions more than tripling in the five years to 2024. This growth is complemented by a surge in lobbying, with nearly 160 entities advocating on AI-related issues — a measure of the city’s central role in shaping the future of AI technology and regulation.
The DC metro area has the highest number of AI job postings of any MSA in the U.S., nearly twice as many as second-place New York: DC MSA 15,838 against New York MSA 7,956. Ranked by active AI job ads, the top ten metros were Washington, DC; New York; San Jose; Boston; San Francisco; Seattle; Austin; Dallas; Chicago; and Los Angeles.
Source: JobsEQ, 3/25/2023–3/25/2024, keyword “artificial intelligence.”
Talent
Among the top five most in-demand occupations within AI, Washington, DC has the second highest number of employees in the U.S., indicating a deep existing talent base for the sector.
Top U.S. in-demand AI occupations — Washington, DC MSA employment concentration
Employment concentration relative to the U.S. average, where 1.00 equals the national average:
| Occupation | Concentration vs. U.S. average |
|---|---|
| Computer & Information Research Scientists | 4.25 |
| Computer Occupations (all other) | 4.01 |
| Software Developers | 1.97 |
| Network & Computer Systems Administrators | 1.70 |
| Computer & Information Systems Managers | 1.51 |
“Computer Occupations (all other)” includes roles such as Information Technology Project Managers and Computer Systems Engineers/Architects. Source: JobsEQ, covered employment, place of work, Q3 2023. AI occupations derived from job postings listing artificial intelligence from 3/23/23–3/23/24.
By total employment across those same five occupations, the ranking of major metros was New York MSA, Washington, DC MSA, Los Angeles MSA, San Francisco MSA, and Seattle MSA.
Higher education
DC’s talent pool is enriched by educational institutions offering programs in AI, ensuring a steady stream of trained graduates. Several universities have also opened research centers focused on AI. The University of Maryland, College Park has a top-15-ranked Artificial Intelligence program (U.S. News & World Report, 2023).
Degree programs or certificates available in the DMV
- George Washington University — Master’s and Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence
- Georgetown University — Online Certificate in Artificial Intelligence Management
- Howard University — Master of Science in Computer Science, Algorithms and Machine Learning
- Bay Atlantic University — Master’s in Artificial Intelligence
- Capitol Technology University — Bachelor’s in Artificial Intelligence
- Marymount University — Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence
- Strayer University — Artificial Intelligence Graduate Certificate; BS in IT Artificial Intelligence; MSIS Artificial Intelligence Systems Management; MBA in Artificial Intelligence Systems Management
Research centers
- Howard University — DoD Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning (CoE-AIML)
- Gallaudet University — Artificial Intelligence, Accessibility and Sign Language Center
- George Mason University — Center for Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence (CMAI)
- University of the District of Columbia — Center for the Advancement of Learning (CAL-AI)
- University of Maryland — Center for Machine Learning
- Virginia Tech — The Sanghani Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics
The George Washington University co-leads the NSF Institute for Trustworthy AI in Law & Society (TRAILS), a $20 million initiative aimed at developing AI technologies that foster trust and mitigate risks while empowering the public. TRAILS brings together experts from several fields to evaluate trust in AI, develop trusted AI solutions, and create effective policy models, addressing bias in AI systems and promoting broader participation in AI design. GWU is located in the Penn West Equity and Innovation District, one of the concentrated urban clusters of tech startups, entrepreneurs, incubators, and STEM businesses that sit near anchor academic institutions in walkable, transit-accessible neighborhoods.
American University’s Kogod School of Business is integrating artificial intelligence into all degree programs, updating 20 courses, teaching programming languages including R and Python, and addressing the ethical considerations of AI in business.
Federal connections
Washington, DC provides the unique advantage of being home to the federal government. Proximity to decision makers allows direct access to the nearly 438 federal government agencies in the region. There is a precedent of companies in the Washington, DC region receiving AI-related federal contracts: since 2019, companies in Metro DC have been awarded over $3.2 billion in government contracts for artificial intelligence projects. AI investment continues to be a federal priority, particularly at the Department of Defense — the FY2025 federal budget request for AI development was over $3 billion.
Major AI companies in the region
- FiscalNote (~680 total employees)
- Morning Consult (~400 total employees)
- Urgent.ly (~375 total employees)
- Rebellion Defense (raised $224M)
- Endgame ($290M annual revenue)
- SAP
- Databricks
- Palantir Technologies
- SAIC
- Booz Allen
- Leidos
- Deloitte
- IBM
- Meta
Company spotlight: Enquire AI
Enquire AI, a DC startup, chose to build in Washington, DC for access to global markets and to the world’s foremost talent. The company launched its PRO insights platform to aid professional decision-making. The suite uses AI to optimize access to business intelligence, including Ayda, a ChatGPT-based copilot that gives users nuanced business analysis in seconds and recommends relevant subject matter experts from Enquire’s global human network for deeper analysis.
We strategically chose DC as the home for Enquire’s global headquarters to leverage the city’s rich pool of top-tier talent, its status as a launchpad for international business, and its recognized position as leader in AI innovation.
— Cenk Sidar, Founder & CEO, Enquire AI
Talk to us
As you navigate your path forward in the nation’s capital, WDCEP is here to support your journey.
- Derek Ford, President & CEO, WDCEP — dford@wdcep.com, (202) 661-8670
- Kevin Morgan, Senior Vice President of Tech Sector Attraction & Retention, WDCEP — kmorgan@wdcep.com, (202) 661-8675
- Sara Adams, Director of Business Attraction & Expansion, Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development — sara.adams@dc.gov, (202) 727-6365
Related: DC’s technology sector and cybersecurity in Washington, DC.
