2026 IOAI to contribute to training future tech entrepreneurs - Bagdat Mussin
The 2026 International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI), being held in Astana, will serve not only as a major platform for school-level competition but also as a catalyst for technological development and the training of future entrepreneurs, according to Bagdat Mussin, Chairman of the Board of JSC Kazakhtelecom, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Mussin said the Olympiad’s tasks are based on real-world applications of artificial intelligence, allowing participants to understand how AI technologies are used in practice.
“These are practical tasks involving radio signal processing, noise detection, and determining the location of objects in a room. Such cases help students understand how artificial intelligence works and how it can be applied. Participants in these competitions are the ones who may go on to create successful startups, develop technology projects, conduct scientific research, and become the technology entrepreneurs of tomorrow,” Mussin said.
He highlighted statistics showing the long-term impact of intellectual competitions on participants’ future careers.
“Participants in such olympiads are 1,500 times more likely to become billionaires and leading technology entrepreneurs. They are also 4,000 times more likely to make scientific discoveries in artificial intelligence, programming, and computer science,” he said.
According to Mussin, hosting IOAI-2026 is strategically important for Kazakhstan.
“For Kazakhstan, this is more than just an opportunity to host an international olympiad and present itself as the host country. It shows that the state is serious about AI development. Our schoolchildren should see that artificial intelligence is not something distant, created somewhere outside Kazakhstan. It can be developed here and compete on equal terms with the world’s strongest teams,” he emphasized.
Mussin noted that IOAI is an international non-profit olympiad and does not provide cash prizes for winners. Each participating country independently decides how to reward its representatives.
He added that teams from 106 countries have confirmed their participation in the 2026 International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence, while two additional countries will take part as observers. Each national team consists of eight participants.
Commenting on Kazakhstan’s chances, Mussin said it is difficult to make predictions because AI olympiads are still a relatively new field.
“Artificial Intelligence olympiads have emerged only recently. Unlike physics, mathematics, or informatics olympiads, there is limited experience in this area. Nevertheless, last year our team ranked fourth in the overall standings. At that time, around 40 countries participated, while this year the number has already exceeded 100,” he said.
The participants’ projects will be assessed by an international jury of 14 experts from different countries. Mussin said the selection process was rigorous and that the evaluation system meets international standards.
The 2026 International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence is being held in Astana from August 2 to 8.
Earlier, in March, Bagdat Mussin announced the signing of a contract to host the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI) in Kazakhstan.