The relationship between the diffusion of new technologies and the creation of new work has been widely studied, particularly in terms of how new technological innovations drive job creation and evolving demands. However, less attention has been given to the supply side—specifically, how labor markets adapt to meet these shifting needs. This study analyzes a large-scale data set on job applications to highlight three key findings. First, for emerging technologies, the pool of applicants for new roles tends to be highly geographically concentrated, often limited to those workers who are willing to significantly relocate. Second, as technologies mature, their diffusion is associated with broader participation from workers across diverse regions, reducing spatial constraints. Third, from the standpoint of applicants' interest, pioneering regions appear to go through three phases: early advantage, followed by some erosion of that advantage, then a recovery and reinforcement of advantage. We conclude by discussing the implications of these geospatial skill diffusion patterns in the face of innovation for managerial practice and policy.
