Bengaluru has climbed to 26th place in the Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) City Index, establishing itself as the country’s principal hub for AI development, scientific inquiry, and digital infrastructure, as per a new assessment released by Counterpoint Research.
The ‘2025 AI City Index’ observes a marked acceleration in the global standing of several cities, naming Bengaluru, Riyadh, Hangzhou, and Sao Paulo among those advancing most rapidly.
India’s AI Momentum Led by Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi
On the national front, Bengaluru takes the lead, trailed by Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, and Kolkata. According to the report, Bengaluru has grown into a key centre for international AI research and data operations, benefiting from substantial overseas investment and a vibrant ecosystem of startups.
Meanwhile, Mumbai and Delhi have begun to harness AI to address issues like traffic flow and urban safety, and are projected to improve their standing in the coming years. Yet the report makes plain that without a clearer long-term plan and firmer regulation, Indian cities may fall short of realising the full promise of artificial intelligence.
Singapore, Seoul, and Beijing Dominate Global AI Scene
On the global scale, Singapore stands at the head of the list, ranked as the foremost AI city in the world. It is followed closely by Seoul, Beijing, Dubai, and San Francisco. Singapore’s rise is owed largely to a dynamic network of startups and effective cooperation between the state and private firms across vital fields such as medicine, transport, and communication. Seoul, too, has made gains, particularly in the use of AI in hospitals and schools.
Beijing, for its part, has declared that from 2025 onwards, all pupils in primary and secondary schools will receive formal instruction in artificial intelligence. The report also forecasts that as large sums continue to be directed toward supercomputing, the present divide between China and North America may grow smaller in the years ahead.
Microsoft, Google, Amazon Expand Global AI Infrastructure
Among private firms, Microsoft is named as the most active participant, broadening its network of AI data centres, offering instruction in AI-related skills, and setting up research units focused on innovation. Google and Amazon, too, have expanded their efforts, building new infrastructure and launching similar schemes to keep pace.
Conclusion
With the world AI race heating up, cities across the world are racing to become the next silicon valley, with wildly different levels of success and ambition. As Singapore enjoys the view at the top of the rankings, sipping digital cocktails and coordinating smooth public-private partnerships, the fact that Bengaluru has ranked at 26th place shows that India Silicon Valley is no longer just about patching up everyone else.
The true beneficiaries of this may be the schoolchildren of Beijing, who will soon be taught AI as well as their ABCs, but who knows what they will apply it to first, climate change or the perfect homework excuse. In the meantime, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are engaged in an infrastructure arms race, erecting data centers more quickly than coffee shops in a startup district.
The point is simple: those cities which do not adopt AI today will become digital ghost towns tomorrow. The future is with those who are not afraid to leave the running of the show to algorithms, just hopefully with better outcomes than most of the recommendation engines.
FAQs
Q1: What is the Global AI City Index and who created it?
The Global AI City Index is Counterpoint Research annual effort to rank cities on their AI capabilities, aka a report card on how well cities are adopting our robot overlords. The 2025 version rates AI advancement, scientific research, and the digital infrastructure, basically posing the question: Which cities are most ready to embrace the AI revolution, and which ones are still attempting to upgrade Windows?
Q2: Why did Singapore top the rankings?
Singapore was crowned by a perfect storm of government efficiency and startup energy, a perfect storm that is less common than a bug-free software launch. Their sauce? Smooth cooperation between the state and the business in the sphere of healthcare, transport, and communications. Other cities are debating the regulation of AI during interminable committee meetings, but Singapore seems to simply get things done.
Q3: How did Bengaluru perform compared to other Indian cities?
Bengaluru became the AI champion of India at 26th in the world with Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata chasing its algorithmic dust. The city has evolved out of being the call center capital of the world to being a true AI research hub with international investment and a thriving startup ecosystem.
