Formation characteristics and decentralization analysis of post-urban agglomerations from the perspective of spatial reshaping: a case study of the great lakes urban agglomeration

Over the past two decades, academic research on urban agglomerations has gradually declined, primarily due to the stabilization of their spatial configurations and the diminishing role of agglomeration effects in driving overall economic growth. Amid the ongoing transition from information technology to artificial intelligence (AI), this paper examines the spatial correlation between population growth and rising median individual income within the Great Lakes urban agglomeration, with a perspective of spatial reshaping. The findings reveal a shift toward decentralization in the spatial structure of the urban agglomeration following the U.S. financial crisis, a transformation that has contributed to economic recovery. This decentralization is attributed to AI-driven changes in work patterns, which have reduced residents' dependence on spatial agglomeration. Accordingly, the paper introduces the concept of the "post-urban agglomeration," aiming to uncover mechanisms that promote equitable development among cities in the emerging era of AI.