EliseAI Chief Experience Officer Fran Loftus discusses the city’s rising AI talent pool and the surge of AI‑focused firms, noting how the technology both creates new roles and automates existing tasks.
New York has surpassed the San Francisco Bay Area to become the United States’ largest tech talent market by workforce size for the first time, driven by the AI boom that is reshaping where technology firms hire and expand.
According to CBRE’s 2026 Scoring Tech Talent report, New York’s tech workforce increased by 30,640 employees from 2022 to 2025, reaching 394,300, whereas the San Francisco Bay Area’s tech workforce declined by 23,900 to 375,730.
Fran Loftus, EliseAI’s chief experience officer, told FOX Business that these figures mirror what her company observes on the ground.
“I definitely believe New York has emerged as a major AI hub,” Loftus said.
New York surpassed the San Francisco Bay Area as the nation’s largest tech talent market by workforce size in 2025, according to CBRE’s Scoring Tech Talent report. (iStock / iStock)
“Walking down Fifth Avenue and seeing the multitude of AI firms makes it clear that a strong pool of AI technical talent exists here, which is precisely why we have expanded our New York presence.”
But what has driven New York’s rise as an AI hub?
Loftus explained that New York’s proximity to customers and end‑users, combined with its diverse industry base, provides AI firms with access to a wide range of experienced talent.
EliseAI, a New York City‑based AI startup that streamlines workflows for housing and health‑care operators, recently relocated to a new 109,000‑square‑foot headquarters in the former Tiffany & Co. building on Fifth Avenue, joining several other AI and technology firms on the block.
EliseAI Chief Experience Officer Fran Loftus told FOX Business that New York has become a “major AI hub” as technology companies expand their presence in the city. (FOX Business / Fox News)
“New York’s strength lies in its diverse industrial base, which is invaluable for a fast‑growing AI company like ours,” Loftus said, adding that the city is “a great place for AI catalysts.”
As AI becomes more widespread across the economy, Loftus acknowledged that the technology is reshaping jobs.
“It can replace certain roles while creating others,” she said.
But she argued that in housing and health care, AI can automate repetitive or administrative tasks, allowing employees to focus on more complex responsibilities.
“Generally, the organizational structure is shifting to delegate routine work to AI and elevate the responsibilities of the teams overseeing these workflows,” Loftus said.
The San Francisco Bay Area remains one of North America’s most tech-concentrated labor markets even after New York surpassed it in total tech workforce size, according to CBRE. (Brandon Sloter/Getty Images / Getty Images)
When asked about rising concerns over AI, Loftus said that real‑world applications are essential for assessing the technology’s impact.
“When you examine how AI is applied—especially EliseAI’s use of the technology—it is evident that this growth is sustainable and the impact is positive for end users, whether they are renters or patients,” she said.
For young professionals entering the workforce or seeking to break into the tech industry, Loftus said they should capitalize on the AI boom.
“There is a wealth of opportunity,” she said.
“I believe entrepreneurial individuals will find abundant role opportunities in AI companies like ours,” she continued.
Loftus said AI is changing the workforce by automating some tasks while creating new roles and shifting employees toward more complex responsibilities. (Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Loftus argued that as AI transforms jobs in sectors like health care and housing, automating repetitive tasks can make certain career paths more appealing.
EliseAI is hiring in multiple markets, including New York, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Austin and Toronto, according to Loftus.
She also noted that EliseAI recently surpassed $200 million in revenue, has doubled its revenue each year for the past five years, and that its AI agents now support roughly one in six U.S. apartment units.
While New York now leads as the largest tech talent market by total workforce, the San Francisco Bay Area remains a major technology center.
According to CBRE, tech workers represent more than 10 % of overall employment in the San Francisco Bay Area, placing it among North America’s most tech‑concentrated labor markets.
Loftus also said EliseAI is expanding its presence in San Francisco, even though New York remains its largest office.
