A recent report finds that with some of the most thorough initiatives supportive of emerging technologies – blockchain, crypto, and AI – Dubai has garnered global attention as a city with a leading ecosystem in the region.

The report titled Digital Cities Index 2022 Dubai by the Economist has ranked Dubai the first in the Middle East and 18th globally in a new ranking of most digitalized cities in the world. 

The inaugural index sets a global benchmark of digitization and technology, looking at the extent and impact of digitization in 30 cities worldwide. 

Researchers measured the cities based on connectivity, services, culture, and sustainability parameters. The study also recorded accounts of nearly 3,000 residents globally to measure how cities had fared in metrics pertaining to internet speed, as well as in terms of qualitative factors relating to the implementation of strategies, policies, and plans for technologies, such as 5G and artificial intelligence. 

As per the index, Dubai earned a score of 63.8, higher than Madrid, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, and Auckland. 

In the metric of digital finance, globally, Dubai was ranked among the top ten. The city fared among the top seven cities for “digital skills levels” and “satisfaction with e-government portals.” 

The study highlighted customers’ trust in e-government is high in Dubai. When asked if they were comfortable providing personal and financial information on e-government platforms, 79% of the respondents answered positively. The city also performed well in the IoT-enabled traffic management system, alongside Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Madrid, and Washington DC. 

The index ranked Copenhagen with the highest score, followed by Amsterdam, Beijing, London, and Seoul in the top five.