IMPLAN Blog

Big Tech’s AI Investments: A $364 Billion Boost to the U.S. Economy

Posted by Candi Clouse and Chandler West on September 25, 2025

When it comes to artificial intelligence, the world’s largest technology companies are not holding back. Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Meta are set to invest a staggering $364 billion in capital expenditures during their 2025 fiscal years, a dramatic leap from $325 billion in 2024. A recent analysis by IMPLAN’s Vice President of Customer Success, Candi Clouse, Ph.D., shows that this surge in spending will have profound ripple effects across the U.S. economy.

“These findings underscore that Big Tech’s AI investments are more than corporate balance sheet moves — they represent a nationwide economic force,” said Clouse. “When companies build out data centers and AI infrastructure, it sets off a chain reaction that touches everything from construction to manufacturing to local retail. The takeaway is that these investments are reshaping the U.S. economy in ways that matter for communities, workers, and policymakers alike.”

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Topics: Economics, Technology, Funding, Economic Development

Big Revisions, Bigger Questions: Understanding BLS Jobs Data

Posted by Jenny Montell on September 10, 2025

The Bureau of Labor Statistic’s (BLS) Monthly Employment Situation Report, also known simply as the monthly jobs report, is one of the most highly-anticipated and closely-watched employment reports due to the timeliness of the data – released mere weeks after the survey data are collected. However, this timeliness entails a trade-off with accuracy, and that trade-off has been costlier in recent years, with both the monthly revisions (as more survey responses flow in) and the annual revisions (the result of benchmarking to other data sources) raising eyebrows lately.  

For example, the 2024 annual benchmark revision estimates from August 2024 implied a larger than typical downward revision of over 800,000 jobs In August 2025, the seasonally adjusted employment estimates for June 2025 were revised downward by 27,000, flipping the estimate of job creation from positive to negative. The most recent benchmark revision estimates from September 2025 implied another larger than typical downward revision of over 900,000 jobs (-0.6 percent).  

In this article, we break down how the estimates in the monthly jobs report are compiled, why the estimates undergo revisions, why those revisions have been so large recently, and whether the BLS data are trustworthy. 

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Topics: Economics, Impact, Economic Development

How Economic Impact Analysis is Unlocking Rural Real Estate Investment Potential

Posted by Chandler West & Jordan Howard on August 14, 2025

Across the U.S., rural communities hold immense untapped potential, but they often face an uphill climb when it comes to attracting the capital needed to realize it. Opportunities abound in logistics hubs, industrial redevelopment, workforce housing, and renewable energy infrastructure, but many rural projects are overlooked by institutional investors.

Why? Time and again, the same challenge emerges: a lack of clear, localized data.

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Topics: Economics, Impact, Economic Development

The 2025 Super Bowl and Beyond: Four Important Considerations for Analyzing the Economic Impacts of Major Events

Posted by Chandler West on February 7, 2025

This year, fans of the Philadelphia Eagles, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the NFL at large will pour into New Orleans, Louisiana for Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome. While in New Orleans, they will stay in hotels, feast on beer and wings at local bars and restaurants, and shop for souvenirs to take home to their families. Some will pass time on the Bourbon Street before the game while others will visit grocery stores to stock up on tailgating essentials. 

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Topics: Events, Economic Development

The 2024 Super Bowl and Beyond: Four Important Considerations for Analyzing the Economic Impacts of Major Events

Posted by Chandler West on January 30, 2024

This year, fans of the San Francisco 49ers, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the NFL at large will pour into Las Vegas, Nevada for Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. While in Las Vegas, they will stay in hotels, feast on beer and wings at local bars and restaurants, and shop for souvenirs to take home to their families. Some will pass time on the Las Vegas Strip before the game while others will visit grocery stores to stock up on tailgating essentials. 

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Topics: Events, Economic Development

The Super Bowl and Beyond: Four Important Considerations for Analyzing the Economic Impacts of Major Events

Posted by Chandler West on February 11, 2023

This weekend, fans of the Philadelphia Eagles, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the NFL at large will pour into Glendale, Arizona for Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. While in Glendale, they will stay in hotels, feast on beer and wings at local bars and restaurants, and shop for souvenirs to take home to their families. Some will pass time in the Westgate Entertainment District before the game while others will visit grocery stores to stock up on tailgating essentials. 

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Topics: Events, Economic Development

Celebrating IMPLAN History: The Rural Development Act of 1972

Posted by Chandler West on September 30, 2022

2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the Rural Development Act of 1972 (RDA). The RDA was  pivotal to getting the ball rolling for IMPLAN to be created in 1976.

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Topics: Impact, Economic Development, Government

IMPLAN and Renewable Energy: Understanding Offshore Wind Tax Credits

Posted by Chandler West on May 24, 2022

As renewable energies take center stage in political policies and public consciousness, IMPLAN is here to help you measure each project’s economic impact. Our recent post Resource Roundup: IMPLAN and Solar Energy focused on giving you the information you need to study the economic impact of a solar energy project. Much of that same information can also be applied to wind power projects. In today’s blog, we’re taking a look at the Offshore Wind Tax Credit Program and how IMPLAN can help you understand the economic impact of wind energy projects, whether you’re a developer, a state authority, or an accounting service provider.

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Topics: Economics, Funding, Environmental, Energy, "Taxes", Impact, Economic Development

Resource Roundup: IMPLAN and Solar Energy

Posted by Chandler West on May 9, 2022

As more and more people recognize the importance of protecting our planet, renewable energies like solar energy are taking center stage, transforming our environment as well as our economies.

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Topics: Economics, Environmental, Energy, Economic Development

The Big Picture: Understanding the State of the Economy Using IMPLAN Data and Other Sources

Posted by Jenny Thorvaldson on April 7, 2022

An enormous variety of factors are at play in any given economy, and there are countless measuring tools and data sets that can help us better understand what is happening in our economic environment. In times of great change, like we’re experiencing now in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it can be helpful to take a step back and look at the big picture. IMPLAN data sets provide very granular geographic and industrial levels of detail, with consistent data estimates spanning from 2001 to the most recent IMPLAN data year. These micro data can be used in concert with macro data from other sources to gain a rich understanding of local and regional economies, as well as the national economy. In today’s blog, we’re looking at some measurements that can be used alongside IMPLAN data to gain a better sense of the big picture.

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Topics: Data, Economic Development

Why IMPLAN?

Put simply, IMPLAN is built for everyone.

Together, our software and data give you a window into your region of study — like one gigantic transaction log for the local economy. Chances are that if your project or business has a financial component, then IMPLAN can reveal some sometimes surprising detail about how your project relates to the local, state, or national economy.

What used to take economists weeks can be done in minutes. By anyone!

But you're not alone, IMPLAN's best benefits go beyond the work done in the tool:

  • Easy to learn and use
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  • Instills confidence in your analyses

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