The U.S. Cities Most Likely to Survive a Robot Takeover

Have you ever watched a robot vacuum glide across your living room and wondered, “What if it had… bigger ambitions?” Or looked at a drone hovering overhead and thought, “This is how the uprising starts, isn’t it?”

While movies love to imagine dramatic robot rebellions, the real conversation happening today is far less apocalyptic and far more fascinating: technology has woven itself into nearly every part of society — from AI assistants to autonomous vehicles to algorithms shaping the way we learn, shop, work, and communicate.

So we decided to take a playful, data-backed look at the question nobody asked but everyone secretly wants to know:

If robots did try to take over, which U.S. cities would be most likely to survive — and which might fall first?

Don’t worry — this ranking is entirely tongue-in-cheek. But the metrics behind it? Very real.

We examined 100 U.S. cities across measurable factors related to resilience, vulnerability, infrastructure, and the ways humans rely on (or could be overpowered by) technology. 

Let’s dive into the cities best positioned to outwit their future mechanical overlords — and the ones that might want to start building an underground bunker… just in case.

What Makes a City More Likely to Survive a Robot Takeover?

While this ranking is all in good fun, the factors behind it reflect real metrics tied to technology, cybersecurity, and digital dependency. In a world where everything from traffic lights to toasters is getting smarter, some cities are naturally more robot-resistant than others.

Here’s a quick look at the data we analyzed — and why it matters:

Connectivity & Network Exposure

Cities with faster internet, wide broadband coverage, lots of public Wi-Fi, or extensive 5G are more wired-in — which also makes them easier for hypothetical robots to navigate or infiltrate.

Lower values = better for human survival.

Tech Infrastructure & Workforce

A strong presence of tech jobs, STEM workers, and hardware stores signals innovation — but also deeper reliance on automation. On the flip side, a robust pool of cybersecurity professionals and software developers means more humans who understand the systems robots use.

More cybersecurity & developers = better; more tech dependence overall = worse.

Digital Vulnerability

Frequent data breaches point to weaker cybersecurity environments.

Fewer breaches = safer from rogue robot infiltration.

Urban Density & Mobility

Dense cities may sound like a great place to hide, but rampant automation of major infrastructure like transit systems, comms and buildings make it hard to move around without being noticed.

Lower density and lower transit automation = better.

AI & Automation Adoption

High search interest in tools like ChatGPT indicates fast adoption of new AI technologies, meaning residents and infrastructure are surrounded by more automated systems.

Lower adoption of robot-friendly systems = better

The Cities Most Likely to Survive a Robot Takeover (Top 10)

Based on our analysis, these cities combine lower tech exposure, favorable digital landscapes, and stronger human-centered resilience — making them the most likely to outmaneuver robot invaders - real or fictional. While each city has its own unique strengths, they all share similar patterns that put them ahead in our “human vs. robot” scenario.

1. Jackson, MS

Jackson leads the nation in robot-resilience thanks to a unique mix of lower overall tech saturation and fewer high-speed, always-on digital systems. With less exposure to dense automation networks — and more friction for robot coordination — Jackson’s environment naturally favors human survival.

2. Colorado Springs, CO

Colorado Springs stands strong due to balanced connectivity paired with a highly capable technical workforce. The city has just enough tech expertise to defend itself, but not so much infrastructure that robots could easily exploit and take over.

3. Boise, ID

Boise’s moderate tech presence and less automated urban environment help slow potential robot mobility. It also benefits from a tech workforce that can understand systems without being overwhelmed by them.

4. Birmingham, AL

Birmingham blends a manageable digital footprint with lower-density tech adoption. Fewer public networks and less always-on connectivity make the city harder for robots to navigate, which gives humans an edge.

5. Virginia Beach, VA

Virginia Beach avoids the hyper-automation seen in major metro centers. With fewer robot-friendly transit systems and less tech-heavy infrastructure, humans have more breathing room.

6. Ogden, UT

Ogden’s quieter digital ecosystem and reduced public Wi-Fi exposure limit the number of entry points robots could potentially exploit, while still maintaining enough human expertise to troubleshoot threats.

7. Albuquerque, NM

Albuquerque’s mix of geography, moderate density, and limited high-speed tech infrastructure keeps it from becoming an easy hub for robot coordination. Its digital landscape favors friction — something robots hate.

8. Columbia, SC

Columbia pairs lower urban density with fewer robot-friendly systems, meaning less real-time connectivity for automated forces to leverage.

9. Provo, UT

Provo’s workforce includes people who understand tech deeply — but the city avoids the high-intensity connectivity that might tip the scales in the robots’ favor. Think: smart humans, slightly less smart infrastructure. Plus beautiful mountains to hide out and plan a counter attack.

10. Tulsa, OK

Tulsa rounds out the top ten thanks to a decentralized digital landscape that creates natural roadblocks for automation. The robots won’t find easy shortcuts here.

The Cities Least Likely to Survive a Robot Takeover (Bottom 10)

These cities, while vibrant and innovative, have digital ecosystems that are extremely robot-friendly. High connectivity, dense automation, large populations, and widespread adoption of advanced technology give robots more opportunities to plug in, power up, and potentially overpower.

Again — this is all in good fun. Your city is probably safe.

1. New York, NY

As one of the most densely populated and hyper-connected cities in the world, New York offers robots an endless digital playground. High-speed networks, automated systems, and constant connectivity make this the toughest place for humans to hide.

2. San Francisco, CA

America’s tech capital is practically a robot startup kit — saturated with innovation, automation, and AI adoption. If a robot takeover ever happens, San Francisco might be the first to notice… or the last.

3. Los Angeles, CA

LA’s sprawling density and interlinked transportation and communication systems create a city where robots could scale quickly — and humans would struggle to keep pace or escape.

4. Boston, MA

With world-class STEM institutions and advanced research infrastructure, Boston is built for cutting-edge technology. Unfortunately, that also makes it wicked real estate for robot coordination.

5. Miami, FL

Miami’s high urban density and fast-growing tech ecosystem give robots ample access points across both digital and physical networks.

6. Houston, TX

Houston’s strong engineering and logistics industries run on data-driven systems and automation — great for efficiency, but very friendly to robot operations.

7. Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia’s large population and highly networked infrastructure make it easy for robots to tap into the city’s digital veins, giving humans fewer defensive advantages.

8. McAllen, TX

McAllen’s digital environment offers connected systems that hypothetical robots could navigate with ease, landing it among the lowest-ranked cities for human resilience.

9. Austin, TX

A booming AI and tech hub, Austin is packed with innovation — and deeply integrated automation. In a robot uprising, they'd have home-field advantage.

10. Dayton, OH

Dayton’s connectivity profile and linked urban systems would help robots coordinate quickly, giving the city limited wiggle room in our playful survival scenario.

Where Does Your City Rank?

Curious to see how your city stacks up against the rest of the country?

Whether you’re confidently perched in a robot-resistant haven or living in a hyper-connected tech hub that might give robots the upper hand, you can explore the full list below.

Use the complete ranking table to browse all 100 cities, compare scores, and dig into how different factors shaped each city’s results. It’s a fun way to see how digital infrastructure, tech adoption, and cybersecurity readiness vary across the U.S. — and what that might mean in our fictional robot takeover scenario.

Closing Thoughts

While a robot takeover is (thankfully) still firmly in the realm of science fiction, the factors behind our rankings are very real — and increasingly relevant. 

Cities across the U.S. are becoming more connected, more automated, and more reliant on digital systems every year. That brings incredible opportunities for innovation, efficiency, and creativity…but also raises new questions about resilience, cybersecurity, and how humans and technology will coexist in the future.

This playful analysis is meant to spark curiosity about those deeper issues. How prepared are we for a world where AI shapes our infrastructure? How do we ensure technology strengthens communities rather than overwhelming them? And what skills will people need to thrive in an increasingly automated world?

At Day of AI, we believe the best safeguard isn’t a bunker or a robot-proof escape plan — it’s education. When people, and youth especially, understand how AI works, how it’s built, and how it impacts society, they’re empowered to guide technology toward outcomes that benefit everyone.

Whether your city ranked first, last, or somewhere comfortably in the middle, one thing is clear: The future belongs to those who understand it.

Methodology

To determine which U.S. cities are most — and least — likely to survive a fictional robot takeover, we analyzed 100 of the most populous cities in the country using a set of real, measurable indicators tied to technology adoption, cybersecurity readiness, and digital exposure. Each factor was assigned a ranking direction (higher or lower is better depending on the context) and a weight reflecting its potential influence on city-level robot resilience.

Each city received an overall score out of 100 based on the weighted sum of these factors. Higher scores indicate greater resilience in our hypothetical scenario.

Below are the factors included in our analysis and their sources. 

Ranking Factors & Their Rationales

• Internet Speed (Mbps) — Speedtest.net (Weight: 1.5)
• Internet Coverage — FCC National Broadband Map (Weight: 1.5)
• 5G Availability — FCC National Broadband Map (Weight: 1.5)
• Number of Internet Providers — ISP Reports (Weight: 1.0)
• Public Wi-Fi Hotspots — Wifimap.io (Weight: 1.0)
• Public Transit Score — Walkscore.com (Weight: 1.5)
• Cybersecurity Workers per 1,000 People — Cyberseek.org (Weight: 2.0)
• Software Developers per 1,000 People — BLS (Weight: 1.5)
• Computer Hardware Stores — Yellow Pages (Weight: 1.0)
• Search Interest for ChatGPT — Google Trends (Weight: 1.0)
• Tech Employment per 1,000 — BLS (Weight: 2.0)
• STEM Employment per 1,000 — BLS (Weight: 2.0)
• State-Level Data Breaches — Privacyrights.org (Weight: 1.5)
• Population Density — U.S. Census (Weight: 1.0)

After applying these weights, each city received its final “robot survival” score, which determined its placement in the overall ranking.

Fair Use

You are welcome to use, reference, and share non-commercial excerpts of this study with proper attribution. If you cite or cover our findings, please link back to this page so readers can view the full methodology, charts, and context.