Savannah Chamber

13 Services Above-average population and job growth as well as households' ongoing shift in spending from goods towards services will support the expansion of many types of service-related businesses. We expect higher demand for healthcare, educa- tion, business and professional services, digital services, data centers, and technology services. In addition, many new development projects will open in 2026, which creates demand for industries that provide necessary services. Less posi- tively, home- and construction-related services will face softer market conditions, thanks to the ongoing housing recession and slight declines in home prices in some markets. Georgia's large, well-established, cluster of fintech companies should fare well because the state has deep pools of these specialized workers. To ensure continued success, The Georgia FinTech Academy—available at most of the University System's 26 institutions— provides the talent needed to attract more of these companies. In 2026, we expect the cybersecurity industry to grow, especially as AI gains ground. The recent agglomeration of data centers in Georgia is likely to spin off some cybersecurity jobs, too. According to Business Facilities magazine, Georgia's cybersecurity industry— located primarily in Atlanta and Augusta—ranks ninth nationally. Talent is the key to Atlanta's success whereas the presence of the U.S. Army Cyber Command at Fort Gordon and Georgia Cyber Center are the foundations of Augusta's cybersecurity economy. Georgia's thriving data center industry has propelled it to number one in the nation for data center activity. AI, remote work, and the greater adoption and use of a wide range of digital applications and high-speed streaming will drive demand growth. Data centers are capital rather than labor intensive and do not have many direct employees, but the job impacts are much larger than that. For example, construction of the facilities creates jobs, and upgrades and repairs to older facilities supports additional jobs. In addition, the outsourcing of data operations powers growth of specialized service providers that create jobs, too. Data centers concentrate in Georgia because it has available land, a robust fiber network, businessfriendly environment, minimal risk of natural disasters, and tax incentives, but future growth could be thwarted if ample supplies of electricity and water become less available. Headquarters operations are an important force powering Georgia's current and future economic growth. The Home De- pot, UPS, Delta Air Lines, the Coca-Cola Company, and Southern Company are the five largest (by revenue) firms head- quartered here. Thirty-four companies with headquarters in metro Atlanta rank among the Fortune 1,000 and fifteen rank among the Fortune 500. Bakki Holdings and Vestis were added to the list in 2025. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and Georgia's ideal geographic location makes the state a good hub from which to serve operations in the Americas. In addition, Georgia has a minimal risk for business disruption due to natural disasters, which we believe is an important consideration for headquarters locations. The outlook for Georgia's large healthcare industry is particularly good, and we expect the number of jobs to increase. The essential need for healthcare and favorable demographic trends means that the prospects for providers of ambula- tory healthcare are particularly good. Georgia's growing, aging population will demand more healthcare services and the need for nursing facilities, residential care facilities, and hospitals. Large numbers of baby boomers are reaching the age where the incidence of heart attacks, strokes, cancer, and other care-intensive problems begin to rise rapidly. The popula- tion of persons with multiple chronic health conditions that require ongoing healthcare continues to grow regardless of the vicissitudes of the business cycle or healthcare policy. Of course, there's intractable disagreement about who will pay the bills, which is a headwind for the industry's growth. Several factors will encourage providers of high-tech and highly specialized professional services to favor sites in Geor- gia—especially metro Atlanta, including the good business climate, logistical advantages of serving far-flung clients, the available professional workforce, and a large annual availability of new college graduates. Similarly, recent increases in regulations at all levels of government will generate work for providers of business services and consultants. Providers of business services that either lower costs or provide necessities should do well. Less positively, integration of AI into

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