London Named World's Smartest City for AI Use, Overtaking New York and Dubai
A new study by Boston Consulting Group ranks London highest for AI adoption and outcomes, with New York placing third.
London has secured the top spot in the inaugural Intelligent Cities Index, a new study assessing the impact of artificial intelligence across 61 of the world's largest cities. The British capital outperformed perennial rival New York City and emerging contender Dubai, which placed second.
The index, published by consulting firm Boston Consulting Group, evaluated cities based on five AI-related criteria: adoption of the technology, the resulting outcomes, strategic planning, governmental implementation of AI strategies, and foundational enablers such as funding, talent, and infrastructure. These scores determined a city's classification into one of four categories: leading, accelerating, emerging, or developing.
London achieved the highest overall score, particularly excelling in resident outcomes, which encompass economic opportunity and quality of life. Washington D.C. followed Dubai to secure fourth place, with Amsterdam rounding out the top five cities.
Despite New Yorkers being identified as enthusiastic adopters of AI technologies, the study revealed a lower level of optimism regarding AI's outcomes compared to residents in many European capitals, including London, Berlin, and Dublin. San Francisco, often considered the epicenter of the AI boom, ranked seventh, making it the third U.S. metropolitan area within the top 20.
Other U.S. cities included Boston at 15th and Los Angeles at 16th. Three Chinese cities also appeared in the top 20: Shanghai (8th), Beijing (9th), and Shenzhen (14th).
