In August 2025, the market research firm Counterpoint Technology Market Research released the “Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) City Index 2025”, in which Bengaluru(Karnataka) has secured the 26th rank in the index, emerging as India’s top AI Research & Development (R&D) and data centre hub.
- Singapore secured the top position in the Global AI City Index 2025, followed by Seoul (South Korea) and Beijing (China).
Exam Hints:
- What? Global AI City Index 2025 Released
- Released by: Counterpoint Technology Market Research
- Top 3: Singapore, Seoul(South Korea), Beijing(China)
- Top 3 in India: Bengaluru(Karnataka), Mumbai(Maharashtra), New Delhi(Delhi).
- Top Industries: Microsoft, Google, Amazon
About Global AI City Index:
Purpose: A global benchmarking report that evaluates cities on their capacity, investment, and innovation in artificial intelligence.
- To identify and rank leading global urban centres driving AI development across R&D, infrastructure, governance, and real-world AI use.
Criteria: The following criteria are used for the evaluation purpose:
- AI research & development ecosystem
- Number of startups and tech hubs
- Investment inflows and public–private partnerships (PPP)
- AI applications in sectors like transport, healthcare, education
- Data centre expansion and digital infrastructure
Report highlights:
Other Top Cities: Dubai (United Arab Emirates, UAE) and San Francisco (United States of America, USA) also featured among the top five in the Global AI City Index 2025.
Fastest-Growing AI Cities: Bengaluru (Karnataka, India), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Hangzhou (China), and São Paulo (Brazil) are among the fastest-growing AI cities globally.
Industry front: Microsoft emerged as the most active player in expanding AI infrastructure and initiatives. It extended its AI data center presence, launched training programs, and established innovation hubs.
- Google and Amazon also expanded their AI operations in similar directions.
India-specific data: Among Indian cities, Bengaluru(26th) came first on the list, with city’s thriving startup ecosystem, global AI R&D leadership, and expanding data center infrastructure have positioned it as a magnet for foreign investment.
- It is followed by Mumbai (Maharashtra), New Delhi (Delhi), Chennai (Tamil Nadu, TN), and Kolkata (West Bengal, WB) with Mumbai and Delhi gaining traction through AI-driven traffic management and public security projects.
Top 5 AI cities worldwide:
| Rank | City | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | Singapore |
| 2 | Seoul | South Korea |
| 3 | Beijing | China |
| 4 | Dubai | United Arab Emirates, UAE |
| 5 | San Francisco | United States of America, USA |
Top 5 AI cities in India:
| Rank | City |
|---|---|
| 26 | Bengaluru, Karnataka |
| 27 | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| 28 | Delhi, New Delhi |
| 29 | Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN) |
| 30 | Kolkata, West Bengal (WB) |
Top 3 Industries:
| Rank | City |
|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft |
| 2 | |
| 3 | Amazon |
About Counterpoint Technology Market Research:
It is a global industry and market research firm specializing in the technology sector. They provide data, intelligence, thought leadership, and consulting services across the technology ecosystem, focusing on areas like smartphones, consumer electronics, semiconductors, and more.
Headquarters – Hong Kong
Established – 2012
