ASTANA — Kazakhstan has begun implementing a plan for the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, aimed at modernizing public administration, expanding AI education, strengthening cybersecurity and accelerating the country’s transition to a new digital economy in 2026.
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The action plan, approved by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, includes eight priority blocks and ten key initiatives. The official launch is scheduled for March at the Alem.Ai building, reported the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry on Feb. 23.
The program covers strategic planning, regulatory reform, human capital development, GovTech transformation, cybersecurity, sectoral digitalization, smart city development and the formation of a new digital economy.
Strategic and regulatory support
As part of this block, a strategy called Digital Qazaqstan is planned, along with the development of tax and other support measures for national IT companies. It is also planned to adopt no more than 90% of the key laws in digitalization, AI, data, cybersecurity, telecommunications and digital assets.
Advancing human capital
Under the AI-Sana initiative, the AI education project will be expanded across all levels, including schools, universities and adult retraining and professional development programs. For secondary education, the plan includes the Day of AI Qazaqstan event and the opening of TUMO Centers. Overall, the project aims to reach at least 450,000 students and teachers to develop their digital and AI skills.
A new stage of AI University and the expansion of the AI school, Tomorrow School, in regions for training AI specialists, is set to begin. Additionally, the AI Governance 500 program will be launched to prepare digital leaders for the public and quasi-public sectors.
The AI Qyzmet is being developed for government employees, and a new program called AI Corporate will teach company staff how to delegate routine tasks to AI.
GovTech: a digital model of public administration
This block focuses on the transition of government agencies to the GovTech digital model. Key priorities include creating a digital workplace for civil servants, expanding eGov capabilities (including eGov Business), developing Social Wallet services and implementing AI on the National AI Platform.
The plan includes providing at least 80% of civil servants with Gov Workspace digital workstations, delivering at least 50 government services powered by AI, and migrating at least 30% of government information systems to the QazTech platform. Internet access will also be expanded on trains, planes, at tourist attractions and at border crossings via Direct to Cell satellite communications. This is expected to improve the quality of digital government services for citizens and businesses by at least 75%.
Cybersecurity and digital infrastructure
Strengthening cybersecurity and protecting personal data are key priorities of this block. Planned measures include enhancing information security systems, auditing government IT systems, addressing vulnerabilities and implementing mandatory information security protocols. Priority will also be given to migrating government information systems to a new government data processing center.
Sectoral digitalization
Digital transformation will extend across energy, agriculture, logistics, construction and finance. Planned measures include AI integration in energy management, digitization of 90% of geological data, AI-based agricultural monitoring to boost yields by 10%, digital logistics platforms and broader adoption of Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology in construction projects.
Cities and regions
This block focuses on the digital development of cities and regions. This year, plans include building fiber-optic communication lines (FOCL) in villages, providing mobile internet along highways and expanding 5G coverage in 20 cities.
Public service centers will be transformed into digital offices with self-service areas. Additionally, a Smart City project is planned for Astana, along with the expansion of IT hubs.
The projected outcomes are high-speed internet access for 99% of citizens, 100% 5G coverage in 20 major cities, an annual increase in the urban comfort index by 15% or more, and the transformation of at least 20 public service centers into digital offices with self-service areas.
