Dubai has placed second in Boston Consulting Group’s first-ever Intelligent Cities Index, and first in the world for AI and smart solution adoption.
Dubai has been ranked second globally in the inaugural Intelligent Cities Index published by Boston Consulting Group. The study evaluated 61 cities across 39 countries. London finished first.
The index is published for the first time this year. It measures how far cities have gone in deploying digital technologies and AI to deliver outcomes for residents and businesses. Boston Consulting Group scored each city across five domains, Outcomes, Strategy, Adoption, Ways of Working and Enablers, using 35 indicators spread over 14 dimensions of digital transformation, according to the report.
Dubai finished with 80 points overall. New York City, Washington DC and Amsterdam completed the top five. The report noted that none of the leading cities topped every category, and that intelligent city leadership tends to come from a particular combination of strengths rather than dominance across every domain.
Dubai ranked first in the world in the Adoption domain, which covers the uptake of AI technologies and smart city solutions. It was the emirate’s strongest result across the index.
The report identified a link between frequent use of generative AI tools and higher public trust in the technology, along with more positive views of its future role. It also stated that cities across the Middle East, including Dubai, showed particularly strong enthusiasm for adopting and harnessing AI.
Digital Dubai and the Strategy Behind the Ranking
Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General of Digital Dubai, said the ranking reflected a leadership vision that established digital transformation and AI as strategic priorities, with the aim of building a more efficient government and a future-ready city.
Khalfan Juma Belhoul, Chief Executive Officer of the Dubai Future Foundation, said the ranking reflected the success of Dubai’s forward-looking approach, which focuses on turning emerging technologies into practical applications that benefit both people and the economy. He said leadership in AI is not measured by the number of technologies adopted, but by their ability to deliver meaningful impact, improve productivity and unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation.
Belhoul added that Dubai continues to set a global benchmark for future readiness by advancing an integrated ecosystem that combines innovation, research and development, agile regulation and strategic partnerships. He said this ecosystem is accelerating the adoption of AI across all sectors.
What the Intelligent Cities Index Measured
The index was designed to assess how effectively cities use technology to drive sustainable development and strengthen their global standing. According to the report, it evaluates the maturity of cities in deploying digital technologies and AI to deliver tangible outcomes for residents and businesses.
The assessment covered government services, business facilitation and quality of life, measured through the 35 indicators across 14 dimensions. Dubai’s placement in the Adoption domain, where it ranked first, recorded the strongest performance of any category in its overall result.
