Main 20 AI countries 2023, by research capacity

The United States had the strongest capacity for research among the leading 20 AI nations worldwide in 2023. It has a ranking of 100, compared with its nearest competitor China at just around 54. In general, Europe has the strongest showing, with most nations on the ranking hailing from Europe.

Computer science still male-driven

Research requires educated and skilled individuals to do it and in the modern world, computer science education is still male-dominated. Both in Europe and the United States, it is males that trend far more towards bachelor’s degrees in computer science. However, females had a higher trend toward masters in this field in Europe, whereas, in the United States, their share was similar to their share of bachelor's degrees.

U.S. tech giants play a significant role

One primary driver of the United States' significant lead over other nations is the fact that it houses the largest tech companies on earth. Counting giants such as Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Amazon, the country has ample funds in private hands to drive AI research even without the enormous budget of the U.S. government.