Our online search history can reveal a lot about us, but which Americans are most curious about new technologies?
A new study from WalkMe reveals a wide disparity in interest in tech trends across the US. In looking at 40 technology-related terms—including ChatGPT, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence—those in Massachusetts (8,319 monthly searches per 100,000 people), Washington (8,160), and California (8,099) were most interested in emerging tech.
These areas are home to some of the nation's most prominent tech companies and institutions: MIT and Harvard in Massachusetts, Amazon and Microsoft in Washington, and Silicon Valley in California, which is the home of bleeding-edge companies such as OpenAI.
Hover over the map below to see the monthly search volume per 100,000 people in the top 10 most tech-obsessed states.
New York state ranks fourth (7,691), followed by Utah (7,331), the only non-coastal state to crack the top five. Its neighbor, Colorado, falls lower on the list in eighth (6,644). Rounding out the top 10 are Oregon (6,984), New Jersey (6,983), Virginia (6,527), and Connecticut (6,215).
On the other end of the spectrum, Mississippi has the lowest rate of searches for emerging technologies, with 2,201 per month. That's nearly four times lower than the top-ranking Massachusetts. West Virginia ranks 49th (2,898) and Louisiana is at 48th (2,948).
"This data demonstrates that some parts of America are considerably more interested in these significant technological advancements than others," says a spokesperson for WalkMe.
