Astana to host International AI Film Festival in autumn 2026

According to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, this will be the world’s first event to reflect a fundamental shift in the development of the creative industry.

He noted that artificial intelligence is transforming the very nature of creativity, opening new forms of self-expression and removing barriers for talented creators.

“Kazakhstan strives to become an active participant in these global changes. At the same time, we must also consider some pessimistic forecasts that claim that artificial intelligence will essentially destroy the creative industry, at least in its current form. Therefore, we must identify all trends and adapt to them skillfully. Holding the festival is of great importance in terms of promoting our country on the international stage as a center of innovation and creative initiatives," the President emphasized.

Tokayev highlighted that digitalization and implementation of artificial intelligence are paving the way for large-scale transformations. For this reason, Kazakhstan places special emphasis on enhancing citizens' competencies and training them in digital skills.

He said that more than 650,000 students are currently enrolled in the Al Sana program, while another 100,000 specialists in artificial intelligence and deep tech need to be trained in the near future.

The President reminded that this year, the AI Research University, will open in Kazakhstan.

“Our primary task now is to train highly-qualified personnel for this industry. We must attract talented young people and create conditions for them to receive a high-quality education. It is also crucial to support promising technology projects and companies. Systematic work in this direction will give a powerful impetus to the development of the entire country,” the Head of State said.

Earlier, it was reported that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Friday participated in the ceremony of honoring the winners of the Alem.ai battle and AI Governance Cup contests.