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As we step into 2025, artificial intelligence isn’t just a buzzword — it’s a powerful, transformative force altering the everyday lives of San Diegans, influencing the economy, job market and education system. Its rapid development and widespread deployment have sparked fascination and fear in equal measure. Yet, beyond the headlines, AI is actively reshaping San Diego, leaving irreversible impacts for better, or for worse.
San Diego County only began hosting AI subcommittee meetings on Oct.16, 2024, gathering recommendations for a countywide AI strategy. Findings are set to be presented to the Board of Supervisors in early 2025. While this effort is appreciated, it feels like playing catch-up given how swiftly AI has embedded itself into our community. Still, the city’s recognition of the need for thoughtful governance is both necessary and overdue.
In recent years, San Diego has quietly become an AI powerhouse. With nearly 30,000 firms engaging with AI and machine learning — 95% of which have already integrated these technologies — our region is at the forefront of AI adoption. This surge in AI adoption has sparked understandable concerns that jobs may be replaced by AI-driven automation. Data from the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, however, tells a different story: AI technologies are creating new jobs, not eliminating them. For every 1,000 jobs gained in AI-concentrated fields, another 1,400 ripple into other sectors, catalyzing broader economic prosperity. San Diego isn’t just adopting AI; it’s becoming a leader for how technological advancements can drive job growth, upskill the workforce, and reshape industries for a stronger local economy.
While AI has proven itself beneficial to the local economy, the housing market offers a more cautionary reality. Some landlords in San Diego have adopted AI pricing software like RealPage, which uses algorithmic models to maximize rental prices — often well beyond affordability for most residents. With the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment soaring to $2,489, already 65% higher than the national average, AI-driven price hikes only intensify the affordability crisis.
The U.S. Department of Justice and eight state attorneys general have sued RealPage for alleged algorithmic price-fixing, a violation of federal antitrust laws. In the lawsuit, this software’s use in parts of San Diego served as an example of the predatory practices. City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera has warned that the lawsuit may take years to resolve, but the city’s rules committee has taken a proactive stance, directing the city attorney’s office to draft an ordinance banning such predatory AI pricing practices.
Education, too, has felt the sweeping hand of AI. The San Diego Unified School District recently invested $83,000 in an AI-powered platform for its high school English curriculum, using AI tools to assist teachers by grading student’s work. The goal was to streamline evaluations, but the rollout revealed a glaring oversight: there was no formal policy in place governing the use of AI in classrooms. This lack of foresight raises an urgent question — why are policymakers trailing behind in regulating such transformative technologies?
San Diego’s local governments cannot afford to stay a step behind. The speed of technological change requires speed in governance. The AI subcommittee’s work is a start, but we need a comprehensive, forward-looking strategy that ensures AI serves all San Diegans—protecting affordability, safeguarding workers, and enhancing education. Anything less risks leaving our community at the mercy of unchecked algorithms and corporate interests. The future isn’t waiting, and neither should we.
Behmer is a San Diego native, studies data science and business administration at UC Berkeley. He is the founder of AI Ventures at Berkeley, a student-led organization exploring AI and its impact on society and business. He lives in Berkeley.Â