Dubai has made a remarkable leap in the IMD Smart City Index 2025, advancing eight positions to secure the fourth spot worldwide. This accomplishment marks a major milestone in the city’s ongoing digital transformation and reinforces its standing as the top-ranked city across the GCC, the Arab region, and Asia.
Strengthening Global Smart City Leadership
The latest ranking affirms Dubai’s global leadership in smart city innovation, urban development, and future readiness. The emirate achieved exceptional scores in several core performance metrics within the IMD Smart City Index, reflecting its effective integration of technology into daily life.
High Scores in Key Urban Services
Dubai earned strong public satisfaction ratings in several areas:
- 84.5/100 for online medical appointment bookings
- 86.5% confidence in internet speed sufficiency
- 85.4% approval for online ID processing
- 82.8% satisfaction with healthcare services
- 83.4% for access to green spaces
- 84.3% for recycling facilities
- 86.5% for availability of cultural activities
The city also demonstrated progress in 16 out of 20 technology indicators and excelled across all four pillars of technology governance, underlining its commitment to continuous digital innovation.
About the IMD Smart City Index
Produced by the IMD World Competitiveness Centre, the Smart City Index is a globally recognized benchmarking tool that evaluates how cities use digital technology to improve the quality of life. In its sixth edition, the Index assesses cities based on health, mobility, activities, governance, and opportunities, drawing insights directly from resident surveys.
Government Collaboration Drives Success
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), attributed Dubai’s elevated ranking to the unified efforts of both government bodies and private sector partners. He emphasized that the result reflects a strategic vision aimed at leveraging advanced technologies to deliver superior public services, enhance well-being, and improve urban living standards.
Smart Mobility: A Key Contributor
Al Tayer highlighted RTA’s contribution to the smart transformation journey, particularly through the development of intelligent mobility systems. Dubai surpassed leading global cities such as Zurich, Oslo, and Geneva in three major transportation areas:
- Vehicle-sharing services achieved a 67.9% usage rate
- Smart parking search tools reached 73.8% utilization
- Bicycle-sharing platforms reported 70% usage
These figures outperformed the top three cities by significant margins, positioning Dubai as a front-runner in smart mobility innovation.
Future-Driven Strategies and Investments
The RTA continues to advance Dubai’s digital infrastructure through major strategic initiatives. The implementation of artificial intelligence and big data in traffic systems has reduced congestion by up to 25%.
Al Tayer further outlined the RTA Digital Strategy 2023–2030, which encompasses 82 projects with a total investment of AED 1.6 billion (USD 436 million). Key goals include:
- Achieving 95% digital adoption of services
- Full digital enablement of the workforce
- Establishing 50 AI-driven mobility use cases
- Building a flexible, scalable digital infrastructure
Additionally, the RTA has introduced its AI Strategy 2030 to further consolidate Dubai’s position in intelligent, tech-driven urban mobility.
Smart Security and Inclusive Digital Development
Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, noted that this recognition reflects the emirate’s rapid progress in adopting global best practices in digital governance and AI. He emphasized that Dubai Police remains dedicated to developing proactive and innovative security systems that ensure public safety while enhancing quality of life.
Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Director-General of the Community Development Authority, underscored that this achievement stems from a people-centric approach to digital development. The authority continues to implement inclusive technology initiatives that support equitable access to services, aligned with Dubai’s broader social priorities.
Unified Vision Behind Digital Excellence
Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director-General of Digital Dubai, described the ranking as a reflection of how technology tangibly enhances the daily lives of residents. He praised the collaboration between public and private sectors, and highlighted the leadership’s role in driving a culture of innovation and excellence.
He reiterated that Digital Dubai remains committed to simplifying life for residents and businesses, advancing digital infrastructure, and positioning Dubai as a global model for digital transformation.
Culture and Creativity in a Smart Ecosystem
Hala Badri, Director-General of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, emphasized the role of technology in enriching Dubai’s cultural landscape. She noted that Dubai’s robust digital infrastructure is vital for achieving sustainability goals and improving service delivery in creative sectors.
Dubai Culture adheres to high digital standards and leverages technology to support artists and entrepreneurs through exhibitions, training, and community initiatives, all aligned with the Dubai Quality of Life Strategy.
A Milestone in Dubai’s Digital Agenda
Dubai’s progress in the IMD Smart City Index reflects the success of the Dubai Digital Strategy, which aims to digitize every aspect of urban life and position the city among the world’s top three for living and economic potential.
Driven by Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and a strong focus on human-centric service design, this strategy places resident well-being at its core. The IMD Index, based on resident feedback, validates this approach by measuring how effectively technology improves real-life experiences.
IMD Smart City Index 2025 – Top 10 Cities
- Zurich
- Oslo
- Geneva
- Dubai
- Abu Dhabi
- London
- Copenhagen
- Canberra
- Singapore
- Lausanne
Source: https://www.arabianbusiness.com/culture-society/dubai-named-worlds-4th-smartest-city
