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Report: Puget Sound AI Leasing on Pace for Record Year
The Puget Sound region now ranks second in the nation for artificial intelligence (AI) workforce, with the majority of workers concentrated among major tech employers, according to a recent report by JLL.
The latest analysis shows that nearly three-quarters of all AI-related office leasing activity across the Puget Sound since 2022 involves companies headquartered outside the area. With several major AI leases expected to close in the coming months, 2026 is on pace to become a record year for AI leasing in the region. Earlier this year, OpenAI expanded its footprint in downtown Bellevue, adding 223,000 square feet of office space at Bellevue’s City Center Plaza.
Key takeaways from the report highlight that 72% of AI leases of 10,000 square feet or more signed since 2022 have been by companies headquartered outside the Puget Sound region. The region is expected to continue seeing net-new leasing activity across both Seattle and the Eastside.
