Seoul claims top spot in global AI adoption, 3rd overall in 2026 AI Cities Index
Seoul has secured third place overall — and claimed the top spot worldwide in AI adoption and implementation — in the newly released 2026 AI Cities Index compiled by Britain’s The Observer, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday. The benchmark evaluation, built on Tortoise Media’s established Global AI Index, assessed 57 major metropolitan centers across 36 countries using 50 indicators…
Seoul has claimed the top spot globally in AI adoption and implementation, followed by San Francisco and New York, according to the 2026 AI Cities Index released by Britain's The Observer. This assessment, built upon Tortoise Media's Global AI Index, examined 57 major metropolitan areas across 36 countries using 50 indicators divided into three key areas: investment, innovation, and implementation.
While San Francisco and New York topped the global rankings, Seoul emerged as the world's third best city, surpassing influential global centers such as Beijing, Paris, and London, which occupied the fourth through sixth positions. As AI power continues to concentrate in urban areas, The Observer, founded in 1791, introduced city-level rankings this year, marking a significant shift in the evaluation of AI capabilities.
Seoul's exceptional performance was particularly evident in the implementation category, where it led globally ahead of Tokyo (third) and Singapore (fifth). This category measures the institutional framework supporting AI development and deployment.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
