ALMATY – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev chaired the first meeting of the Council on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Development on Oct. 1 in Astana, underscoring the transformative role of digital systems and AI in ensuring Kazakhstan’s sovereignty and driving economic growth.
Photo credit: Akorda
Opening the meeting, Tokayev highlighted Kazakhstan’s progress in digitalization, reported the Akorda press service.
“Today, more than 92% of public services are available online. Last year, the share of cashless payments exceeded 85%. In just the first six months of this year, citizens received 26 million digital services, half of them via smartphones,” he said.
President Tokayev emphasized that AI has become a decisive factor in shaping global development, highlighting the creation of a Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development to oversee the comprehensive introduction of AI technologies.
Training talent and building institutions
Tokayev stressed the importance of developing domestic technologies and training highly skilled IT professionals. He mentioned the AI-Sana program, under which more than 440,000 students have already received AI certificates.
He announced plans to establish a specialized research university for AI in Kazakhstan, in partnership with leading global universities.
“Talented youth should be able to receive world-class education not only abroad, but also in their own country. The future of Kazakhstan depends on this,” he said.
AI in education: toward personalized learning
Tokayev called for the broad integration of AI in education to create personalized learning pathways tailored to each student’s abilities. He instructed the government to develop a national system of digital student profiles linked with the new AI University.
“These profiles will record academic performance, strengths, and achievements, helping optimize programs and reduce study time. Moreover, AI-based profiling can guide career orientation,” he said.
Ethical standards and safeguards
Tokayev underlined the importance of addressing risks linked to AI adoption.
“AI should reinforce the educational process, not replace its fundamental foundations,” he said, emphasizing the need for ethical standards and academic integrity safeguards.
He added that technologies must not undermine Kazakhstan’s spiritual values, cultural heritage, and national identity, calling for the development of a national AI-powered educational platform using domestic solutions.
Preparing for labor market transformation
President Tokayev urged the government to anticipate inevitable changes in the labor market and leverage AI to create new jobs. He called for the launch of a national AI-based online platform for workforce retraining.
“We must act proactively, creating broad opportunities for reskilling without spending millions on retraining centers,” he said.
Global and domestic experts join the dialogue
The meeting also featured speeches from Kazakh officials including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev.
International experts also contributed, among them are UAE Minister of State for AI Omar Al-Olama, Sinnovation Ventures and 01.AI founder Kai-Fu Lee, Polynome Group founder Alexander Khanin, and Oxford Insights CEO Richard Stirling.
Concluding the session, Tokayev highlighted that Kazakhstan’s national interests must remain the key benchmark of its digital strategy.
