Modern cities have complex structures and a large population. In modern urban life, various unexpected events are inevitable due to the influence of natural factors such as earthquakes. When urban emergencies occur, it is possible to encounter situations such as damage to the urban environment, collapse of buildings, and road interruptions caused by bridges, endangering the survival of the people, and a large number of people waiting for rescue. To achieve the most efficient rescue of the people, it is necessary to have strong rescue forces involved and the guarantee of scientifically planned rescue paths. Among them, scientifically planned rescue paths are the key to ensuring the effective implementation of subsequent rescue operations. Therefore, how to scientifically and reasonably plan the path for rescuing the people is of great significance. The ant colony system releases a substance called “pheromone” along the path it passes through. Ants within the colony have the ability to perceive pheromones and walk along paths with higher concentrations of pheromones. Each passing ant leaves behind a “pheromone” on the path, forming a mechanism similar to positive feedback. After a period of time, the entire ant colony will follow the shortest path to reach the food source. This article mainly focuses on urban emergency rescue path planning based on ant colony algorithm. Firstly, relevant research is summarized, relevant application methods are proposed, and the results are discussed. I hope to bring some inspiration to relevant researchers and provide assistance for the development of related fields.