Comprehensive 100-Point Framework for Global AI Cities

Based on 2025 research analyzing 100+ metropolitan areas across 30+ countries and 5,000+ data points, this methodology balances quantitative metrics with qualitative ecosystem assessments.

1. Research & Innovation Capacity 20 pts

Measures fundamental knowledge creation and technological leadership

Academic Research Output (6 pts)

Number of AI publications in top-tier conferences (NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, CVPR); citations per capita; presence of world-leading AI research institutions

Patent Activity (5 pts)

AI-related patents filed/granted per 100,000 residents; quality-adjusted patent scores

Industry R&D Investment (5 pts)

Corporate AI R&D spending; presence of major AI labs (Google DeepMind, Microsoft Research, etc.)

Innovation Density (4 pts)

AI researchers per capita; concentration of PhD programs; cross-institutional collaboration networks

Data Sources: National patent offices, Google Scholar metrics, corporate financial reports, university rankings

2. Talent Ecosystem 20 pts

Assesses availability, quality, and dynamism of human capital

Talent Concentration (6 pts)

AI engineers/data scientists per 100,000 residents; LinkedIn AI job density; brain drain/gain ratio

Education Pipeline (5 pts)

Graduation rates from AI-related programs; availability of re-skilling programs; industry-academia partnerships

Compensation & Retention (4 pts)

Median AI salaries adjusted for cost of living; talent retention rates; visa accessibility for skilled workers

Diversity & Internationalization (5 pts)

Percentage of foreign-born AI talent; gender diversity in AI workforce; cross-cultural team formation

Data Sources: LinkedIn Talent Insights, salary surveys (Glassdoor, Payscale), university enrollment data, immigration statistics

3. Funding & Investment Landscape 18 pts

Quantifies financial support for AI innovation

Venture Capital Activity (7 pts)

Total VC funding for AI startups (last 3 years); number of AI unicorns; early-stage funding availability

Corporate Investment (5 pts)

Corporate venture arms; strategic AI acquisitions; internal funding for AI initiatives

Government Financial Support (4 pts)

Public AI grants; tax incentives for AI R&D; sovereign AI funds

Capital Efficiency (2 pts)

Funding per startup ratio; time to secure Series A/B rounds

Data Sources: PitchBook, CB Insights, Crunchbase, government budget allocations

4. Industry & Startup Ecosystem 17 pts

Evaluates commercialization and market vibrancy

Startup Density (5 pts)

Number of AI startups per 100,000 residents; startup birth/death rates; Y Combinator/tech accelerator presence

Scaleup Success (4 pts)

Number of AI companies with 50+ employees; revenue growth rates; exit valuations

Big Tech Presence (4 pts)

Headquarters or major AI divisions of Fortune 500 tech companies; cloud infrastructure availability

Vertical Specialization (4 pts)

Leadership in specific AI verticals (healthcare, fintech, robotics, autonomous vehicles)

Data Sources: Startup Genome, Dealroom.co, company registries, industry reports

5. Infrastructure & Computing Power 12 pts

Measures physical and digital foundations

Data Center Capacity (4 pts)

Availability of hyperscale data centers; GPU/TPU cluster access; cloud region presence (AWS, Azure, GCP)

Connectivity (3 pts)

5G/6G deployment; broadband speeds; latency to major internet exchanges

Supercomputing Access (3 pts)

TOP500 supercomputer presence; quantum computing research facilities

Edge AI Infrastructure (2 pts)

Smart city sensor networks; IoT device penetration; telco edge computing capabilities

Data Sources: Cloud provider region maps, TOP500 list, telecom regulatory filings

6. Government Strategy & Regulation 8 pts

Assesses public sector enablement

National AI Strategy (3 pts)

Existence of comprehensive AI roadmap; dedicated AI minister/agency; public AI procurement policies

Regulatory Clarity (3 pts)

AI governance frameworks; data privacy laws balance; approval processes for AI deployment

Geopolitical Stability (2 pts)

Trade restrictions impact; semiconductor access; international collaboration agreements

Data Sources: Government policy documents, World Bank governance indicators, WTO trade data

7. Market Adoption & Implementation 5 pts

Measures real-world AI integration

Enterprise Adoption (3 pts)

Percentage of large companies using AI; AI deployment in public services (healthcare, transportation)

Consumer AI Integration (2 pts)

Smart device penetration; AI-powered public services usage rates; digital literacy

Data Sources: McKinsey Global AI Surveys, public sector digital transformation reports, consumer technology surveys

Scoring Methodology

1

Normalization

All raw metrics converted to z-scores within city cohorts

2

Weighting

Applied category weights: Research (20) + Talent (20) + Funding (18) + Industry (17) + Infrastructure (12) + Government (8) + Adoption (5) = 100

3

Expert Panel Adjustment

±5 points discretionary adjustment for emerging factors not captured in data (e.g., breakthrough research, regulatory shifts)

4

Temporal Weighting

60% weight on 2024-2025 data, 40% on 3-year trend trajectory

5

Validation

Cross-referenced against 3+ independent indices; outliers investigated manually

Methodology Validation & Limitations

Validation Process

  • Cross-referenced against Counterpoint Research 2025 AI City Index
  • Validated funding data with Crunchbase & PitchBook estimates
  • Talent metrics calibrated against LinkedIn 2024 AI Skills Report
  • Infrastructure capacity verified against cloud provider public region data

Key Limitations

  • Data Lag: Patent/publication data reflects 2024 submissions; startup funding Q4 2024 preliminary
  • Geopolitical Impact: US-China semiconductor restrictions affect Beijing's Infrastructure scoring
  • Emergence Bias: Cities like Bangalore, Shenzhen rising rapidly but lack ecosystem maturity
  • Per Capita vs. Absolute: Balanced weighting used, favoring per capita for quality metrics

Legal Information

This analysis was conducted independently using public AI services. The ratings were obtained through standard user interfaces. The visual design is purely informational to distinguish sources and does not imply partnership, official cooperation, or endorsement by the mentioned services. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.