Top 10 countries leading in artificial intelligence (AI): Where does India rank in the list?

The United States stands out with the most advanced AI ecosystem, surpassing all other nations in several areas, according to Stanford’s Global Vibrancy Ranking 2023.

It leads in producing high-quality AI research, developing prominent machine learning models, attracting substantial private investment, and experiencing significant merger and acquisition activity in the AI sector.

In addition to this, the country has the highest number of job postings related to AI and a robust pipeline of newly funded AI startups. However, in recent years, there has been considerable focus on the competition between the US and China in the AI domain.

While the US excels in many aspects, China has excelled in attracting private investment related to AI, generating a higher number of notable machine learning models, and leading in AI patenting as of 2023, according to Sandford’s Global Vibrancy Tool 2024-Global AI Index 2025.

Stanford’s AI Index Report: Top 10 Global AI Leaders (data as of 2023)

Assessing the AI outlook in countries across various essential criteria—such as research and development, economic activity, and infrastructure—here are the top ten countries leading in AI, based on Stanford’s Report Global Vibrancy Ranking, with data collected up to 2023.

Rank	Country	Total Score
1	United States	70.06
2	China	40.17
3	United Kingdom	27.21
4	India	25.54
5	United Arab Emirates	22.72
6	France	22.54
7	South Korea	20.48
8	Germany	18.49
9	Japan	18.47
10	Singapore	18.15

Source: Global AI Vibrancy Rankings 2023, developed by Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centered AI

Methodology: It evaluated countries’ AI ecosystems across eight pillars: Research and Development, Responsible AI, Economy, Education, Diversity, Policy and Governance, Public Opinion, and Infrastructure. The indicators are normalized to a [0, 100] scale using min-max normalization. 

Global Vibrancy Rankings 2023 (Source: Artificial Intelligence Index, Stanford University)

The emerging global AI powers:

Europe was among the first regions to pass significant AI legislation, with the EU enacting the AI Act in 2024, leading the United Kingdom to secure the third position in global AI leadership, with France and Germany, indicating Europe’s collective commitment to AI development.

Furthermore, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has also made a significant commitment to advancing its AI capabilities, investing in quality research institutions and earning the fifth spot in the rankings.

While India ranks fourth in the index, the top ten rankings also feature Asian countries like South Korea, Japan, and Singapore prominently.