Dubai has been ranked second in the world in the inaugural Intelligent Cities Index, outperforming global hubs such as New York, Washington and Amsterdam in harnessing advanced technology and AI to improve quality of life.
Published by the Boston Consulting Group, the index evaluated 61 cities across 39 countries and five areas – outcomes, strategy, adoption, ways of working, and enablers – all supported by 35 indicators of digital transformation.
Together, these factors measured how effective cities are at leveraging technology to drive sustainable development and boost global competitiveness.
Dubai, with 80 points, finished behind only London (85) and ranked first globally in the adoption of AI and smart city solutions.
Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, director general of Digital Dubai, said the ranking was a reflection of the importance that has been placed on building a more efficient government and a future-ready city.
“It is the result of an integrated digital ecosystem built on data, shared digital infrastructure, and close collaboration across government entities and all economy sectors,” he said.
“In Dubai, AI is more than an emerging technology, it is a catalyst for improving quality of life, simplifying services, and enabling economic growth. We will continue investing in shared digital infrastructure while expanding the use of data and AI across all sectors, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global model for the cities of the future.”
Two-year action plan
The ranking is an early reward for the city after the announcement in May of a two-year plan to harness advanced AI in the emirate's private sector.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, said training programmes would be rolled out to support businesses in adopting cutting-edge AI agents.
He said the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry had been directed to establish incubators for Agentic AI companies to support the high-tech transition and create further economic opportunities for young people in the field.
The Dubai programme is in line with a wider government vision to champion the use of AI to boost efficiency and productivity and raise standards of public services. In April, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, set out plans for half of all government services to be delivered using AI agents within two years.
“AI is no longer a tool. It analyses, decides, executes and improves in real time. It will become our executive partner to enhance services, accelerate decisions and raise efficiency,” Sheikh Mohammed wrote on X at the time.
Abu Dhabi also placed strongly on the list, at 20th.
