Kazakhstan Embraces AI: The Rise of Digital Transformation
A young woman with a stylish bun and a jacket boasting traditional Kazakh designs recently graced a board meeting for Samruk-Kazyna, Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund. This meeting marked a significant moment as she was appointed as the newest board member, standing out as the first artificial intelligence program to hold voting rights within the company.
Kazakhstan is buzzing with discussions about artificial intelligence (AI), which forms a key element of its modernization efforts. The government aims to enhance public services, attract investments, and reduce dependence on raw materials. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has declared 2026 as the “Year of Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence,” signaling a commitment to introducing advanced technologies across all economic sectors and bolstering tech literacy among its citizens.
In line with this initiative, the government established a Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development in 2025. A recent action plan has been approved, extending through 2029, to promote AI education in schools and universities, transform healthcare and public services, and improve tax collection and energy efficiency through digital means.
Kazakhstan took a notable step in 2025 by becoming the second region after the European Union to enact laws governing artificial intelligence. In the heart of the capital, Astana, a new AI museum invites visitors to explore digital installations and interact with robots, offering a taste of the future.
At the Astana Hub, the largest innovation center in Central Asia, hundreds of children are learning skills like programming and 3D animation at no cost. The “Tomorrow School” is dedicated to nurturing the next wave of tech talent in the country. Valeria Tio, the managing director of Astana Hub, shared, “We have students aged 18 to over 50, many of whom decided to switch careers to join the IT field.” The selection process is rigorous; of the 25,000 applications received, only a small fraction of the most promising candidates are chosen.
Students undergo a preliminary logic and memory game before entering an intensive four-week program called the “Pool,” which separates them for two years of training. While Kazakhstan’s advancements in AI are impressive, experts like Yuri Misnik from InDrive note that the country is still far from becoming a hub like Silicon Valley. However, it is carving out a position as a regional AI center, blending Western innovation with Eastern insights.
Since the launch of the Tomorrow School, 500 individuals have completed the program, with some finding jobs shortly after. Tio highlighted a success story of a former barista who transitioned to a developer role after a year of training—an inspiring example of social mobility.
Astana Hub also boasts a startup incubator that helps teams develop innovative IT products. Collaborations with hubs in Dubai, Shanghai, and other locations provide opportunities for these startups, and due to government support, businesses at the hub enjoy tax benefits.
Over the past eight years, Astana Hub has contributed to the birth of Kazakhstan’s first unicorn company, Higgsfield, a video-generation startup valued over $1 billion. By 2030, Tio expressed hopes for the hub to cultivate five such unicorns.
Nearby, at Nazarbayev University, researchers from the Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence have pioneered a supercomputer. They identified a gap in AI voice recognition for the Kazakh language, leading them to develop a localized voice assistant. When the pandemic prompted many local speakers to stay home, the team encouraged them to record voice samples, which were then used to train the new AI model. In December 2024, they unveiled their version of ChatGPT, named MagniSoz, which can process text and audio in 11 languages. An upgraded version, Oylan, enhances image translation from Kazakh, English, and Russian.
Yerbol Absalyamov, the institute’s executive director, emphasized that their AI is designed locally to protect data and reflect Kazakh culture and traditions. He believes having a homegrown AI model is essential as it caters to the unique mindset and identity of the Kazakh people.
Challenges Ahead
However, the journey towards AI development presents challenges. The establishment of large data centers necessitates a reliable supply of water and electricity, raising environmental concerns. Tlegen Kuandykov from CAPS Unlock pointed out issues with aging infrastructure and the potential environmental impact of cooling systems without sufficient assessments.
Another critical concern is the ethical use of data and human rights implications. While the new AI law includes protective measures, there are questions about enforcement and public oversight, particularly regarding rapid advancements in biometric identification and facial recognition technology.
In summary, as Kazakhstan strides into the digital age, the focus on artificial intelligence promises to enhance its economy and society. However, addressing the accompanying challenges will be vital for ensuring a balanced and equitable future.
