The 2026 AI Regional Activity Index, presented at the Digital Solutions forum, identified Tatarstan, Novosibirsk, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, and Tomsk regions as leaders in artificial intelligence development. Moscow and St. Petersburg were also recognized for their significant contributions to the field, achieving maximum scores across all evaluation criteria.
The index methodology, developed by Beeline AI, Tomsk State University, and Cyberia, assesses regions based on five metrics: educational activity, scientific contribution, labor market demand, public interest, and media presence. The ranking process utilizes AI to process data and identify trends while minimizing subjective bias.
The 2026 report covered 85 regions, noting that 62 demonstrated search interest in AI exceeding the national average. Key growth indicators include a 91.9% increase in scientific publications and a 160% rise in AI-related job vacancies over the past year.
The methodology has been updated to improve data accuracy, including an 86% reduction in the volume of analyzed media and social network publications through stricter filtering of generative spam. This marks the third edition of the index, which is now a standalone project under the Beeline AI Awards.
