Top 10 AI competitive countries in the world 2025: US leads the race; India makes four spot jump

In the 2025 report, which looks at data from 2024, the United States continues to lead the AI space. This is mainly because big tech companies there invest heavily in AI and regularly launch powerful new models. China follows next, supported by its large talent pool and strong push to use AI across industries.

India has made a noticeable leap this year. With a score of 21.59, it has moved up sharply from its earlier position of seventh and now ranks among the top three AI-ready countries in the world. This rise has helped India move ahead of several developed economies like the UK, South Korea, Japan, Germany, France, Canada, and Singapore.

One big reason for this growth is people. India has seen the fastest increase in AI-related hiring globally. Indian developers are also very active online, with the country becoming one of the biggest contributors to AI projects on GitHub. This shows that many Indians are not just using AI tools but also helping build them.

Government support has also made a difference. The India AI Mission, backed by over Rs 10,300 crore, has focused on improving computing power, sharing data for research, and creating policies that support AI growth. These steps have strengthened India’s overall AI setup.

At the same time, Indian startups are using AI more than ever. From healthcare and finance to education, young companies are finding practical ways to use AI to solve everyday problems. This has helped boost India’s performance in the business and economy side of the report.

A reality check for India

That said, the report also offers a reality check. There is still a large gap between India and the global leaders, especially the US. India is strong in talent and real-world use, but it falls behind in deep research and in building powerful base models like those developed in the US and China. Most big private investments in AI still go to companies in those two countries.

The report also shows that different countries shine in different areas. The US leads in most categories, including research and infrastructure. China does well in talent and large-scale deployment. India stands out for its skilled workforce, ranking among the top countries for AI talent.

Finally, the report raises a larger concern. As AI progress becomes concentrated in a few countries, the gap between nations could grow even wider. If access to AI tools and resources remains uneven, it could increase global inequality in the years ahead.

Here is the list of the top 10 countries in AI competitiveness: