AI Cities Worldwide Put Healthcare and Education First

Singapore was ranked the world’s top AI city in 2025, followed by Seoul, Beijing, Dubai, and San Francisco, according to Counterpoint Research’s recently published its 2025 Global AI Cities Index – a study of the adoption of the use of AI in the largest one hundred metropolitan areas in the world. Counterpoint analyzed over 5,000 initiatives in the private and public sectors, strength of communications infrastructure, university output, and strength of the startup ecosystem among other factors. The study also analyzed how AI technology is being leveraged in twenty industry verticals as the intelligent digital transformation of the public and private sectors is a key component of an AI City.  

Healthcare Emerges as the #1 Global Priority for AI in Industry

The healthcare sector was the most prominent among all industry verticals in the study as the world’s leading AI Cities have turned to AI to provide more accurate and more efficient methods to improve the wellbeing of their residents. Counterpoint analyzed 320 AI + Healthcare initiatives in the largest metropolitan areas of the world and found that Smart Hospitals & Clinics was the most popular initiative (34%) as AI Cities have recognized the need to digitize and automate healthcare functions. For example, Ewha Woman’s University Seoul Hospital call center has introduced an inbound and outbound AI chatbot which is used for instantly confirming, canceling, or changing reservations and is available 24/7.  AI is also increasingly being used as a diagnostic tool (12%) to detect cancer and other ailments both more accurately and more efficiently. Using AI for drug discovery (6%) is also an emerging sector in this field. In terms of global leaders, Seoul was the leader in AI + Healthcare initiatives followed by Singapore and Madrid.

Source: Counterpoint Research – 2025 Global AI Cities Index

Leading AI Cities are Investing Heavily in Education

Education was the second-most popular vertical for AI City activity as we found 290 AI + Education initiatives in the world’s top 100 metropolitan areas. Introducing AI into the K-12 curriculum was the most common (29%) initiative taken by AI cities. The study also analyzed AI City activity by vertical. For example, starting in September 2025, Beijing will require every primary and secondary school student, some as young as six, to receive formal training in artificial intelligence. Universities around the world are also rushing to incorporate AI into their curricula, which was the second most common initiative (25%) found in the study. Introducing AI-based tools such as personalized AI tutor-chatbots and other learning aids into the classroom at all levels was the third-most common initiative recorded. Beijing was the overall leader in AI + Education followed by Seoul and Madrid.

Source: Counterpoint Research – 2025 Global AI Cities Index

AI is Playing a Greater Role in Managing Cities

AI + City Management was the third most popular vertical for AI City activity as we found 238 initiatives in the world’s top 100 metropolitan areas. Using AI for traffic management was the most popular application of AI in City Management, representing 22% of all programs analyzed in the study. But AI is starting to be used for more innovative City management applications as well. The second most popular application of AI in City Management (17%) was to use it for better decision making. For example, the city of Austin, Texas has introduced AI software which automates the process for applying for a building permit to make the process faster and more transparent. Creating chatbots for residents to give them better access to government services was the third most popular initiative representing 12% of all AI + City Management initiatives. Bengaluru was the overall leader in AI + City Management initiatives ahead of Tokyo and Seoul.

Source: Counterpoint Research – 2025 Global AI Cities Index