The research, which explores the potential for commercial growth of artificial intelligence (AI), used seven criteria, including the number of AI-related job advertisements, AI companies, tech meet-ups, and the value of InnovateUK funding.

Edinburgh excelled in the education sector, boasting the highest number of courses with an AI component, with a total of 57, compared to Birmingham’s 46. The Scottish capital is also home to a thriving AI business ecosystem, with 82 AI companies in the city, a significant figure given its population of over 553,000.

The University of Edinburgh’s AI Accelerator programme, designed to nurture AI applications and commercialise research products, is an example of the crucial role universities play in the capital to create a flourishing AI scene.

Additionally, funding from InnovateUK, a part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) devoted to fostering cross-sector business innovation, has bolstered Edinburgh’s position.

Between 2022 and 2025, the city secured approximately £43.7 million for projects at institutions such as the University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt and Edinburgh Napier, and a recent announcement by InnovateUK of a new £50m fund for ‘responsible and trustworthy’ AI innovation promises to stimulate further growth in the sector.

Edinburgh also performed well in AI job availability, ranking second with 372 job adverts on LinkedIn at the time of the study, with Cambridge in the lead with 401.

The index also tracked growth in AI-readiness, highlighting notable progress in cities like Leicester, Inverness, Norwich and Wells. Conversely, Chichester, Bangor, and Dundee were identified as least prepared to utilise AI to its full potential.

Senior director of education services at SAS EMEA, Glyn Townsend, said: “The UK has a goal to become a science and technology superpower by 2030. But as the industry grows at pace and generates thousands of jobs, who fills them when we’re in the midst of the digital skills gap?

“TechUK has reported that over half of UK firms identify accessing talent as their biggest challenge over the next 12 months.”

He added: “More and more careers require an element of data literacy, and so educators need to be well-versed in teaching people how to incorporate this into their subject areas along with, where necessary, data analytics and AI elements.”