[RC_ITR]

>but a common claim is that many of the most important AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic are located in the city, so there's a bit of an AI boom going on.

I think the stronger claim as to why SF is the hub is: where else is the center if not there?

Seattle/NY/Boston/Austin/LA/Miami has some activity (probably in roughly that order), but hard to really call them the center of anything.

[chasd00]

Covid showed that no physical center is the best physical center. With wfh finally taking hold the center is everywhere and nowhere.

[RC_ITR]

>Covid showed that no physical center is the best physical center.

Did it? Based on what data?

Almost all of the world's largest companies (including those in Silicon Valley) require some level of office attendance for most employees.

[kkfx]

RTO is pushed for a simple reason: WFH means working like a contractor, so if you find another offer just a bit better you get it, since there is no need to relocate, change office culture habits etc. Beside that remote workers would like owning a home, not leaving in small places consuming services, witch is against the "agenda 2030, you'll own nothing".

However RTO will fall, because people never want to change, but they was forced to change on time and they discover that's a good change, you will not pull them back even offering shorter workweeks and side benefits. You'll just push back low skilled labor and with them no company can go much further.

[CapstanRoller]

WFH doesn't seem to be "taking hold" anywhere. As an actual jobseeker in the current marker, almost everyone now requires hybrid or fully onsite work.