AI ready: Which cities are posed for the great leap forward?

In 2021, Tesla moved its corporate headquarters from Silicon Valley to Austin – Copyright AFP Natalia KOLESNIKOVA

A recent study ranked top ten cities from around the world according to their AI readiness. San Francisco topped the list with the greatest number of AI companies in the city at 4,255 firms. 

The findings come from Avantis AI and the output was sent to Digital Journal for review. Other interesting measures were Tokyo advertising the most number of AI related jobs totalling 8,398 and with London hosting the most AI related events yearly at 4,118.

The study by Avantis AI analyzed 21 cities from all over the world to find out their AI readiness by evaluating five key indicators: the number of AI-related jobs advertised, AI-related events, AI companies, the AI Readiness Index from the Oliver Wyman Forum, and search demand for generative AI terms.

The city rankings are:

San Francisco takes the top spot with a composite score of 61.63, largely driven by its count of AI companies. The city also ranks high in AI readiness with a score of 71.9 and has 889 AI-related jobs advertised. Although San Francisco hosts 664 AI-related events annually, placing it second to London, its overall environment positions it as a global hub for AI innovation and development.

London ranks second with a composite score of 57.75 and is a standout for hosting the most AI-related events annually at 4,118, fostering a vibrant AI community. London also has 1,914 AI companies and an AI readiness index of 75.6, which is among the highest in the study. However, it advertises fewer AI-related jobs (3,115) compared to Tokyo, highlighting a gap in job market expansion relative to its extensive event offerings.
 

Tokyo comes in third with a score of 44.30, distinguished by the highest number of AI-related job advertisements at 8,398, reflecting strong demand for AI talent. The city has 872 AI companies and a moderate AI readiness index of 58.4. Although it has fewer AI companies compared to San Francisco and London, Tokyo is clearly investing heavily in growing its talent pool.

Singapore is fourth, standing out with the highest AI readiness index of 75.8. Singapore also shows high public interest with a search demand of 60.10 for AI terms per 1,000 residents. This makes Singapore a key player in AI in Asia, with strong government support and public engagement.

New York places fifth with a score of 39.09. Its positioning is supported by a solid number of AI companies (1,835) and a high AI readiness index of 72.7. The city also has significant public interest, with a search demand of 56.54 per 1,000 residents. However, with only 911 AI-related jobs advertised, New York could benefit from expanding its job market to keep pace with other leading cities like Tokyo and London.