Kazakhstan Races Toward the Future to Become a Regional Hub for Artificial Intelligence

By Dr. Abdel Rahim Ibrahim Abdel Wahid

Astana – Kazakhstan is confidently racing toward the future, driven by a comprehensive strategic vision that considers artificial intelligence (AI) a cornerstone of its economic and social development. The country aims to position itself as one of the leading digital innovation centers in Central Asia through a nationwide strategy that integrates AI across education, infrastructure, and legislation, paving the way for an unprecedented digital transformation toward a technology-driven economy.

At the same time, the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Rauan Zhumabek, met with Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications of the United Arab Emirates. The two sides paid particular attention to developing bilateral cooperation in the fields of digitalization, the digital economy, and artificial intelligence, especially the issue of enabling Kazakh IT specialists to enter the UAE market.

During the meeting, the two parties discussed a wide range of issues related to enhancing bilateral cooperation in digitalization, the digital economy, and artificial intelligence, with special emphasis on the entry of Kazakh specialists into the UAE labor market.

The Kazakh ambassador noted that on 8 September of this year, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, delivered his annual address, announcing the upcoming establishment of a Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development in Kazakhstan.

At the same time, the ambassador informed about Kazakhstan’s planned participation in the largest technology exhibition, GITEX Global 2025, which will be held in Dubai from 13 to 17 October this year.

Digital Generation from School to University

The Ministry of Education has laid the foundation for a sustainable digital society by launching a major national program in cooperation with UNESCO to train over 200,000 teachers in integrating AI tools into education. So far, 140,000 have received certificates, with strong participation from teachers in Shymkent, Turkistan, and Zhambyl.
Teachers are learning to design interactive lessons, create tests, and produce AI-based learning materials while adhering to ethical standards, all offered for free on the national LMS platform.

Moreover, AI has become a compulsory subject at 93 public universities as part of a plan introducing 25 new AI-related majors. The Aisana project has been integrated into curricula to provide hands-on experience, and over 390,000 students have completed introductory AI courses.

National Initiatives to Empower Youth

The Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry, in cooperation with Astana Hub, has launched multiple nationwide programs to spread digital literacy.
These include Tech Orda (training 10,000 youth in programming, data science, and cybersecurity), Tomorrow School (the country’s first peer-to-peer AI school), and IT-Áiel (training 5,500 women in digital skills).
A new TUMO Center for Creative Technologies is also opening in Astana to train youth aged 12–18 in AI, 3D design, robotics, and interactive programming.

National AI Models

Kazakhstan has built the most powerful supercomputer in Central Asia at the national data center, powered by NVIDIA H200 processors from NVIDIA. It supports the country’s first large language model KazLLM, the image generation model Beynele, and the multimodal AI model Oylan.

The Alem.AI international AI center, including the AlemLab research lab, has also been launched to develop real-world AI products for public and private sectors.
In the linguistic field, the Til-Qazyna National Research Center developed Tilqazyna, an AI-powered Kazakh language learning model that can generate text, correct grammar, and analyze context, with plans to release it as a smart mobile app.

A Thriving Tech Investment Ecosystem

Kazakhstan’s startup scene is booming. Notably, Higgsfield raised $50 million in Series A funding, gaining over 1.2 billion views in five months with its AI video creation platform.
The country also hosts major startup hubs such as MOST, Terricon Valley, and Astana Hub, which offer funding, mentorship, and technical support, aiming to make Kazakhstan a regional exporter of digital solutions worth $5 billion by 2029.

Legislation for a Digital Era

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced the creation of a new Ministry of AI and Digital Development to lead the nation’s digital transformation, alongside a comprehensive Digital Code to regulate AI, big data, and digital platforms.
A national Digital Assets Fund is also being established under the National Bank of Kazakhstan to build a strategic crypto reserve and link it to the digital tenge.

Strategic Steps Toward AI Leadership

AI in the Public Sector: The AI Qyzmet program has trained over 16,000 civil servants to integrate AI tools into government services.
Nurturing Early Talent: The first National AI Olympiad for school students was held, with 40 reaching the finals and 12 representing Kazakhstan at the International AI Olympiad in Beijing.
Boosting Research and Global Cooperation: The Institute of Smart Systems and AI at Nazarbayev University developed KazLLM, Beynele, and Oylan, and is expanding partnerships in healthcare, industry, and linguistics.
Economic and Investment Dimension: Tokayev aims to attract 10,000 AI specialists annually and build a robust innovation ecosystem through the national digital assets fund.

Innovation Hub in Central Asia

With these bold steps, Kazakhstan is positioning itself as a leader of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Central Asia, driven by investment in education, infrastructure, research, and entrepreneurship — backed by strong political will.