Business & Investments

UAE Places Two Cities Among the World’s Top 20 in BCG’s Intelligent Cities Index 2026

UAE Places Two Cities Among the World’s Top 20 in BCG’s Intelligent Cities Index 2026

Key facts and figures for the UAE:

  • The UAE is represented by two cities in the global top 20 of BCG’s inaugural Intelligent Cities Index 2026.
  • Dubai ranked #2 globally with a total ICI score of 80, placing it in the Leading maturity cohort alongside London, New York City, Washington, and Amsterdam.
  • Abu Dhabi ranked #20 globally with a total ICI score of 72, placing it in the Accelerating maturity cohort. The city also ranks among the world’s top 10 for intelligent city enablers, highlighting the strength of its technology, infrastructure, ecosystem, funding and talent foundations.
  • The report finds that cities across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia show the strongest momentum in AI adoption, pairing high usage with high optimism. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are part of this regional trend.

Quotes:

” Having two UAE cities ranked among the world’s top 20 in BCG’s first Intelligent Cities Index shows the progress the country has made in putting AI into everyday urban life. The report highlights strong adoption across smart city applications, AI platforms and digital government services, supported by high levels of resident optimism. That combination gives cities a strong foundation to continue improving how people live, work and interact with public services.”- Dr. Akram Awad, Managing Director &Partner, Global Lead for Smart Cities, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

“BCG’s Intelligent Cities Index shows that sustained intelligent city leadership requires more than infrastructure investment. The cities that are pulling ahead are those that have achieved equilibrium between hard enablers, data systems, technology deployment, and digital infrastructure, and the soft enablers of talent development, startup ecosystems, and public-private collaboration. The UAE’s trajectory in this Index reflects that balance, and it sets a replicable benchmark for cities worldwide.”- Rami Mourtada, Partner & Director, Digital Transformation, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)