Fulton County's economic development authority is positioning "AI readiness" as a core part of its pitch to international investors, arguing that a region's technological sophistication is becoming as important to site-selection decisions as workforce, infrastructure and quality of life, according to Global Atlanta.
Develop Fulton, the county's development authority, said artificial intelligence is moving well beyond the technology sector into manufacturing, logistics, health care and financial services, and that companies weighing where to expand increasingly factor in a region's AI capabilities. Chairman Kwanza Hall said that when other factors such as land cost, geography and climate are comparable across competing locations, a community's technological readiness and workforce receptiveness to AI could become the deciding factor.
The authority said AI readiness includes preparing residents and current employees to work alongside AI tools, helping local employers adopt emerging technology, and ensuring government agencies can support companies that expect advanced digital capabilities. Fulton County is working with Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, Emory University and the region's historically Black colleges and universities, along with workforce programs including Select Fulton and WorkSource Fulton, to build a pipeline of AI-capable workers.
County officials pointed to a recent visit to a Toyota Material Handling facility in South Fulton as an example of how international manufacturers are already investing in advanced automation and production technology in the region. Officials have also taken part in AI-focused gatherings, including AI Week at Atlanta Tech Village and the AI Congress in Washington, D.C., to stay engaged in policy discussions shaping how AI investment develops nationally.
The county said it has not recently received new data center applications but noted that operators continue investing to expand computing capacity at existing sites, infrastructure that increasingly underpins the startups and companies driving the county's AI-related growth.
Source: Global Atlanta - https://www.globalatlanta.com/fulton-county-puts-ai-readiness-at-center-of-global-investment-strategy/