Kazakhstan implements national strategy to become regional AI hub

Kazakhstan is implementing a strategic push to establish itself as a regional hub for artificial intelligence as part of a broader modernization and economic diversification agenda. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has designated 2026 as the “Year of Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence,” aiming to integrate advanced technologies across various sectors, including healthcare, public services, tax collection, and energy.

To support this transition, the government established a Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development and approved an action plan running through 2029. This plan focuses on increasing AI literacy in educational institutions and developing Kazakh-language technologies. Notably, Kazakhstan became the second jurisdiction after the European Union to pass legislation governing AI.

In the corporate sector, the sovereign wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna has integrated an AI program named SKAI, which holds voting rights to assist with transparency and governance. Additionally, the Astana Hub, Central Asia’s largest innovation cluster, operates an AI museum in the capital city to promote digital engagement.