These are the world’s most intelligent cities in 2026, according to a new Index

Turns out London isn’t just old and beautiful, it’s clever too. Consulting giant Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has just published its inaugural Intelligent Cities Index, assessing 61 of the world's biggest cities on how effectively they’re using AI and digital technology to improve life of people who live there. 

The index scores each city across five areas, including outcomes, strategy, adoption, how well governments actually put plans into action, and broader ‘enablers’ like funding, talent and infrastructure. Think of it as a school report, but instead of maths and PE, cities get graded on things like how satisfied residents are with their council’s apps, and how many people actually use AI day to day. Based on those scores, cities are sorted into one of four tiers: leading, accelerating, emerging, or developing. 

London tops the list for 2026, which BCG says scored highest of all for resident outcomes, from quality of life to economic opportunity. Just behind are Dubai, New York City, Washington DC and Amsterdam, rounding out the top five.

The report also shows that AI enthusiasm isn’t confined to the world’s usual tech hubs. Cities across Africa, Asia and the Middle East reported some of the strongest resident enthusiasm for using GenAI tools day-to-day, proving this isn't purely a Silicon Valley or Shenzhen story after all.

Of course, we know a thing or two about ranking cities ourselves, so if you're after a different lens on where's good to live, check out Time Out’s list of the best cities in the world for 2026 (Melbourne topped that one), or find out which cities are leading the way for green space and access to nature.

The 20 most intelligent cities in the world in 2026

1. London
2. Dubai
3. New York City
4. Washington DC
5. Amsterdam
6. Berlin
7. San Francisco
8. Shanghai
9. Beijing
10. Seoul
11. Singapore
12. Vienna
13. Copenhagen
14. Shenzhen
15. Boston
16. Los Angeles
17. Stockholm
18. Zurich
19. Munich
20. Abu Dhabi

Fancy more city rankings? These are the world's most walkable cities in 2026, according to the people who actually live there.

Plus: Check out the world’s most beautiful cities in 2026. 

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