Stanford University Global AI 2025 index published

Stanford University has published its eighth AI index report (here).  It provides a global and long-term perspective on various issues, including AI R&D and performance, the economy, science and medicine, policy and governance, education, and public opinion.  Each section is supported by further analysis, the data for which can be accessed so readers can deep dive.  The report states that it is ‘committed to equipping policymakers, journalists, executives, researchers, and the public with accurate, rigorously validated, and globally sourced data.'

The top takeaways include:

1. AI performance on demanding benchmarks continues to improve.
2. AI is increasingly embedded in everyday life.
3. Business is all in on AI, fueling record investment and usage, as research continues to show strong productivity impacts.
4. The U.S. still leads in producing top AI models—but China is closing the performance gap.
5. The responsible AI ecosystem evolves—unevenly.
6. Global AI optimism is rising—but deep regional divides remain.
7. AI becomes more efficient, affordable, and accessible.
8. Governments are stepping up on AI—with regulation and investment.
9. AI and computer science education is expanding—but gaps in access and readiness persist.
10. Industry is racing ahead in AI—but the frontier is tightening.
11. AI earns top honors for its impact on science.
12. Complex reasoning remains a challenge.

The report is supported by a Global AI Vibrancy Tool - “an interactive suite of visualizations designed to facilitate the comparison of AI vibrancy across 36 countries, using 42 indicators organized into 8 pillars.” (according to the 2024 version, here). The Global AI Vibrancy tool will be updated in the summer of 2025. 

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The report's citation is:

Nestor Maslej, Loredana Fattorini, Raymond Perrault, Yolanda Gil, Vanessa Parli, Njenga Kariuki, Emily Capstick, Anka Reuel, Erik Brynjolfsson, John Etchemendy, Katrina Ligett, Terah Lyons, James Manyika, Juan Carlos Niebles, Yoav Shoham, Russell Wald, Tobi Walsh, Armin Hamrah, Lapo Santarlasci, Julia Betts Lotufo, Alexandra Rome, Andrew Shi, Sukrut Oak. “The AI Index 2025 Annual Report,” AI Index Steering Committee, Institute for Human-Centered AI, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, April 2025

What a year 2024 has been for AI. The recognition of AI’s role in advancing humanity’s knowledge is reflected in Nobel prizes in physics and chemistry, and the Turing award for foundational work in reinforcement learning. The once-formidable Turing Test is no longer considered an ambitious goal, having been surpassed by today’s sophisticated systems. Meanwhile, AI adoption has accelerated at an unprecedented rate, as millions of people are now using AI on a regular basis both for their professional work and leisure activities. As high-performing, low-cost, and openly available models proliferate, AI’s accessibility and impact are set to expand even further.