New research shows immigrants fuel artificial intelligence in America by founding many of the country’s top AI companies. Analysts say welcoming immigration policies would advance U.S. leadership in AI and other technology fields.
“Immigrants have founded or cofounded nearly two-thirds (65% or 28 of 43) of the top AI companies in the United States,” according to a new National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) analysis. “Seventy-seven percent of the leading U.S.-based AI companies were founded or cofounded by immigrants or the children of immigrants.”
The research, which I authored, was conducted through interviews and gathering information on the 43 U.S. companies on Forbes AI 50, a list of the top startup companies “developing the most promising business applications of artificial intelligence—companies with compelling visions and the resources and technical wherewithal to achieve them.” A July 2022 NFAP study found immigrant entrepreneurs started more than half of U.S. billion-dollar companies and included several AI companies.
