The AI landscape in Orange County is blossoming. A new report describes massive growth in local artificial intelligence activity. In recent years, OC has invested in career development programs and fostered public-private partnerships that are critical to sustaining—and accelerating—the county’s mounting AI momentum.
There is more money in OC AI than ever before: Local investments are up 402% annually since 2008. Between 2020 and 2023, investors spent nearly $3 billion on AI-related deals in OC, funding startups as well as R&D at established technology companies.
OC companies are building innovative AI products in key sectors of the regional economy, like health care and defense. Local companies like Alteryx, Altius, Anduril, Cyrano.ai, EON Reality, Helio Genomics, Syntiant, and Wethos offer AI-powered products ranging from data analytics platforms to AI-enabled cancer detection tests. Anduril, which recently sought a $12.5 billion valuation, builds AI-guided drones for the US military. In Anaheim, Disneyland developsand operates AI-powered robots and virtual characters capable of personalized interactions with park visitors—like the Vyloo, animatronic birds that interactwith guests in the Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout attraction.
OC institutions, including local government, academia, non-profits, and industry, are collaborating to grow the county into a regional AI hub. OC offers a variety of educational and workforce development programs designed to teach locals about AI, including a multitude of strategic public-private partnerships.
The Orange County Workforce Development Board oversees employment and training programs for local workers. OCWDB is recruiting new members to generate local AI-related jobs. In the latest economic development strategy for the county, OCWDB flagged “long-term job growth…[in] artificial intelligence” as a key strategic opportunity for OC—marking the first time the board has emphasized AI as part of a regional development plan.
The Orange County Department of Education recently hired two new administrators to implement a unified approach for educators using AI in OC schools. OCDE also runs OC AI Forward, which brings together local educators and lawmakers to craft strategies for AI in education. In March, the Anaheim Union High School District and UC Irvine School of Education held the AI K12 Deeper Learning Summit, which featured workshops demonstrating ways educators can use AI for instruction and assessment.
OCDE works with the CEO Leadership Alliance of Orange County (CLAOC), a non-profit dedicated to driving economic development in the region, to administer the Careers in AI program. Students in the program learn about AI while earning school credits and networking with local industry professionals. The program includes work-based learning opportunities at local companies and a chance for students to present projects at competitions like the Intel AI Global Impact Festival, where OC students won awards the last two years.
CLAOC facilitates several public-private partnerships focused on developing local AI-ready talent. Kristina Horn, CLAOC’s Manager of Artificial Intelligence Initiatives, noted: “OC is in a strong position with AI, and we need to keep building a strong AI-talent pipeline to capitalize on the opportunities of this transformative technology.” CLAOC runs micro-internships for high school students to gain firsthand experience at local companies and organizations, including EY, City of Hope, and PIMCO.
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CLAOC also leads the AI Talent Lab, which fosters cross-sector collaboration to generate local interest in the technology. In September 2023, the AI Talent Lab launched a community-accessible supercomputer in partnership with NVIDIA, Chapman University, and the Irvine-based tech consultancy Trace3. The supercomputer is located in Chapman’s data center, and local governments and community colleges have access for projects and research. OC Public Works, for example, will use the supercomputer to produce digital renderings of building plans.
The new report on AI in OC concludes by identifying talent development, funding, and collaborative partnerships as critical for continued technological growth in the county. Wisely, OC has already forged valuable public-private partnerships and put in place programs to teach residents about AI and deploy the technology at a local level.
These programs are exactly the types of “bottom-up” initiatives that experts recommend localities implement to grow their AI ecosystems. By investing in local talent and embracing innovation, OC has tapped into its immense AI potential and positioned itself as a future leader in California’s flourishing technology sector.
Andy Jung is associate counsel at TechFreedom, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank focused on technology law and policy.
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