Boston Consulting Group (BCG) released the "AI Maturity Matrix 2026" on October 20, which assessed over 75 economies. For the first time, South Korea has been classified in the top tier of "AI Leaders," joining the ranks of the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Canada, and Japan. Since the survey began in 2024, only South Korea and Japan have been able to advance to this group.
The reasons provided by BCG focus on the supply side. On one hand, South Korea has the capability to independently develop AI models; on the other hand, it has invested significant public funds in computing infrastructure and AI ecosystem development. The "2026 AI Index" released by Stanford University's Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence Institute (HAI) also offers supporting evidence: South Korea ranks among the top five globally in "Notable AI Model Development." The simultaneous advancement of models, computing power, and ecosystems forms the foundation for South Korea's leap in this ranking.
South Korea's Rapid Progress in AI Has Enhanced Its Global Standing
This matrix assessment measures only two dimensions: AI Exposure, which refers to the potential impact of AI on major industries and jobs; and AI Readiness, which indicates an economy's ability to seize the opportunities presented by AI. The former is close to objective conditions, while the latter places greater emphasis on policies and investments. The results show that nearly all economies have made progress in at least one subcategory of readiness, with eight economies, including South Korea and Japan, being upgraded compared to 2024. This progress is not limited to leading economies.
According to BCG, after countries generally established AI strategies, the real differentiator has been the speed of implementation. The report points out that having policies alone is insufficient; the speed at which key technologies can enter core industries is the variable that determines competitiveness among nations. This judgment shifts the focus of evaluation from "whether there is a plan" to "what has actually been accomplished," which may still create significant distances between countries within the same tier.
In terms of industrial distribution, the current use of AI remains concentrated in knowledge-intensive sectors such as information communication and financial services. BCG predicts that as physical AI technologies like humanoid robots and industrial automation mature, applications will expand into manufacturing, logistics, and agriculture. The report also cautions that so-called AI autonomy consists of a structure made up of four components: semiconductors, computing and cloud, AI models, and applications. Very few economies can fully control all four components; a more realistic approach for countries is to distinguish which capabilities must be developed domestically and which can be obtained through global cooperation.