Singapore and South Korea are leading the charge in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.
The assessment, compiled by ARKANCE, is based on an index system that analyzed metrics like venture capital investment, talent, research output, broadband speeds, cybersecurity and government tech maturity over the last five years.
Singapore is the leading country in AI infrastructure, with a score of 8.91 out of 10, and boasts the highest AI venture capital investment per $1,000 of gross domestic product ($14 million).
South Korea was runner-up (7.71 overall), excelling with the highest government technology maturity score of 9.91.
The United Kingdom ranked third (6.93), with the highest score in the cybersecurity category, at 9.95.
There was a three-way tie for fourth between the U.S., Canada and France (all 6.72).
Rounding out the top-10 list were Germany and China (5.42), Luxembourg (5.31) and Finland and India (5.26).
The top score in implementation and innovation of AI in the U.S. (9.9) reflects a thriving ecosystem that includes Silicon Valley, the birthplace of AI giants OpenAI and Alphabet Inc.’s Google DeepMind. With broadband speeds averaging 246.33 Mbps, the U.S. surpassed China’s speeds of 180.55 Mbps by 36%, providing a smooth digital infrastructure for AI growth.
The U.S. had a perfect cybersecurity index score of 10 and a thriving innovation ecosystem, continuing to dominate sectors such as health care, defense and autonomous systems, according to the index.
The worldwide AI infrastructure market, expected to mushroom to $356.1 billion in 2032 from $36.59 billion in 2023, is flourishing especially fast in some segments of Asia as AI-powered automation revolutionizes workflows, improves operational efficiency and reduces costs.
“Leaders like Singapore and South Korea are setting the standard with strong government backing, cutting-edge tech innovation, and significant investments in AI venture capital,” Greg Arranz, CEO of ARKANCE, which helps construction and manufacturing businesses with digital transformation, said in a statement. “For the AEC industry, these advancements hold enormous potential, as AI-powered automation can streamline design, enhance construction management, and improve project outcomes.”
If 2024 was marked by an AI gold rush, 2025 will be defined by AI utility, particularly in the U.S., according to Snowflake Inc. CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy.
“Organizations have been rapidly adopting AI to stay competitive and seize new opportunities. However, to truly benefit from this technology, the conversation must shift from whether an organization uses AI to the value it aims to achieve with it,” Ramaswamy said in an email. “While not every application will be AI-powered, those that incorporate language models, knowledge repositories, and human input will evolve and improve over time. We can expect to see practical AI applications in unexpected areas, making it crucial for CEOs and boards to identify where their investments will yield the highest return.”
