Strategy & Evidence
AI for Economic Development
A continuing series on strategy and practice for leaders preparing communities for the next economy. Each release pairs an article, video discussion, and downloadable PDF.
Browse the series →New | AI for Economic Development | Article 02 | October 30, 2026
Dr. Dell Gines on why data-center economics must be evaluated across the maps and systems that actually carry the deal.
AI's data center boom has a geography problem.
The investment number is only the beginning. See the seven questions economic developers should answer before supporting or opposing a project.
Latest Tutorial
An 18-minute demonstration of the operating model, the four core files, and a live build of Ada.
Build Your Own AI Employee
See an economic development research assistant built live in Codex, with the same approach available in Claude Code. Then use the companion cheat sheet to build your own.
Explore the Collection
Two ways to go deeper.
Follow the research shaping the next economy, or work through practical demonstrations you can put to use now.
Tools & Tutorials
AI Tools & Tutorials
Step-by-step videos and companion resources for turning AI ideas into useful workflows, repeatable systems, and AI employees with one clear job.
Explore the tutorials →The Perspective Behind the Work
I gave my first public talk on artificial intelligence and economic development in the fall of 2023. The thesis has not changed: AI is not just a tool. It is a new layer of civic, business, workforce, and institutional infrastructure.
For economic development organizations, the question is practical. How do we use artificial intelligence to save time, stretch staff capacity, improve intelligence gathering, support entrepreneurs, and make better strategic decisions without losing sight of people, place, and equity?
This part of my work focuses on helping EDOs and communities move from curiosity to capability: understanding the technology, identifying useful workflows, building responsible adoption habits, and preparing for the way AI will reshape local economies.