Qatar has ranked first among 39 jurisdictions in the Compute Institute’s latest Jurisdiction Competitiveness Index, scoring 77.4 out of 100 for its suitability to host large-scale AI computing infrastructure. Rated “Advantaged” with a positive outlook, Qatar topped the US states of Iowa, Indiana and Texas, as well as the UAE. The index evaluates locations for AI compute campuses of at least 100MW, focusing on infrastructure and project delivery factors.
The JCI evaluates seven factors, including power availability and cost, construction speed, AI regulations, incentives, capital, ecosystem strength, and stability. Qatar scored highest for stability and execution risk (8.5/10), followed by power cost and capital ecosystem depth at 8.4 each. The report highlighted low electricity costs, policy stability, investment incentives and strong AI and digital infrastructure investment. However, Qatar received a “B” data-confidence rating, with 16 of 22 sub-factors backed by high-level evidence.
The Compute Institute distinguishes between implemented measures and future announcements, with stronger evidence influencing current scores and announcements shaping the outlook. Its v0 methodology uses expert-based scores rather than statistical forecasts and will be refined as more data on AI infrastructure projects becomes available.
