South Korea ranked third last year in the number of notable artificial intelligence (AI) models it has, behind the United States and China.

The Ministry of Science and ICT said on April 14 that South Korea achieved notable results in key assessments of the AI Index 2026 recently released by Stanford University’s Human-Centered AI Institute (HAI).

The ministry and the AI Index 2026 said South Korea ranked third with 5 notable AI models released, after the United States with 50 and China with 30. It rose one spot from fourth place a year earlier, overtaking Canada, France and the United Kingdom, which tied for fourth with 1 each.

South Korea ranked first globally in AI patents per 100,000 people, at 14.31, for a second straight year. Luxembourg followed with 12.25, then China with 6.95 and the United States with 4.68.

South Korea also ranked first globally in the increase in AI adoption. It posted the largest rise in ranking and increase, moving from 25th in the first half of last year to 18th in the second half, with a 4.8 percentage point gain. It ranked fourth in industrial robot installations with 30,600 units. China ranked first with 295,000, Japan second with 44,500 and the United States third with 34,200.

Beyond the key indicators, South Korea ranked second among G20 countries in the number of AI-related bills passed between 2016 and 2025, with 17. The report highlighted the Framework Act on AI as an example of establishing a basis for fostering the AI industry at the national level and building trust.

It also assessed South Korea as ranking second globally in prioritising innovation over AI-related regulation, at an innovation-to-regulation ratio of 70 to 30. SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics were spotlighted along with U.S.-based Micron as global leading companies related to high-bandwidth memory (HBM) manufacturing.

The report, however, cited as tasks to improve private investment in AI that is insufficient compared with leading countries such as the United States, and the fact that more AI talent leaves the country than enters it.

Vice Prime Minister Kyung-hoon Bae (배경훈) said, "Full national-level support such as building an AI highway, securing proprietary AI models and expanding AX is showing results." He added, "We will further strengthen policy support so that South Korea establishes itself as a true top-three AI power and so that all citizens can equally enjoy the benefits of AI in daily life."