Foreign media on Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan aims to train one million people in AI skills by 2030; U.S., Kazakhstan launch initiatives to facilitate SMR deployment
Based on recent developments, including Kazakhstan’s move away from a raw materials and transit focused model toward a manufacturing economy with regional export potential, as well as its goal to train one million people in AI skills by 2030 and to expand Kazakhstan-U.S. cooperation in civil nuclear energy through a new educational initiative focused on small modular reactors, Qazinform News Agency presents a weekly review of foreign media coverage.
The World Financial Review: International Corporations Land in Kazakhstan: Boost in Production and Localization
By the mid 2020s, Kazakhstan is increasingly shedding its long-standing image as an economy dominated by raw materials and transit logistics, The World Financial Review reports. Against the backdrop of global supply chain reconfiguration, international companies are beginning to view the country not only as a consumer market, but as a manufacturing base with regional export potential.
This shift is reflected in macroeconomic indicators and industrial policy. Manufacturing output is projected to grow by around 6% in 2025, with processing industries gradually becoming a key driver of economic growth. Metallurgy remains a backbone sector, supported by new facilities reaching full capacity, while mechanical engineering and the chemical industry are demonstrating faster growth rates, driven by vehicle production, agricultural machinery and new chemical capacities.
Foreign investors are increasingly opting for localization. Global food producer Mars is preparing to launch a pet food manufacturing plant in the Almaty region, while pharmaceutical production is set to expand with the construction of a biopharma complex in the Alatau Special Economic Zone. In the automotive sector, the launch of a full cycle KIA plant in Kostanay has marked a milestone, anchoring supplier networks and export-oriented production.
Deeper localization is also taking shape in heavy industry, where major metallurgical companies are increasing procurement from domestic suppliers and investing in new rolling and casting facilities focused on import substitution and higher value-added production. These initiatives are reinforcing industrial clusters and supporting mono industrial towns.
The government is supporting this shift through tax incentives, special economic zones and a growing pipeline of projects with foreign participation. With most new facilities oriented toward exports to Central Asia and the EAEU, Kazakhstan continues to strengthen its position as a regional industrial hub integrated into global and regional value chains.
Euronews: Kazakhstan aims to train one million people in AI skills by 2030
According to Euronews, Kazakhstan is accelerating its entry into the global artificial intelligence race, with plans to train one million citizens in AI tools over the next five years and position the sector as a core driver of economic growth and digital governance.
The country has already reached $1 billion in IT exports in 2025, hosting Central Asia’s largest technology hub, Astana Hub.
“We have increased IT exports roughly 35fold over the past five years. Our next goal is $5 billion, and the key resource is human capital,” said Magzhan Madiyev.
A major milestone was the launch of Central Asia’s first International AI Centre, ALEM AI, in Astana.
According to Madiyev, “In the AI industry, the most important resource is talent. ALEM AI is designed to train specialists, support startups and bring them to the global market.”
Government backed programs are central to this effort.
“Our goal is to train one million people over the next five years, from school students to civil servants and entrepreneurs,” said Zhaslan Madiyev.
Kazakhstan has also unveiled the region’s first supercomputing cluster, Alem.Cloud, which entered the global TOP500 ranking, while 92% of public services are now available online.
With investments in infrastructure, education and regulation, Kazakhstan is embedding artificial intelligence at the heart of its digital and economic strategy.
Nuclear Newswire: U.S. and Kazakhstan launch initiatives to facilitate SMR deployment
Kazakhstan and the United States are expanding cooperation in civil nuclear energy through a new educational initiative focused on small modular reactors, the US Embassy and Consulate in Kazakhstan announced in December, Nuclear Newswire reports.
Under the US Department of State’s FIRST program, the Kazakhstan Institute of Nuclear Physics will receive a classroom simulator for SMR technologies. The simulator, to be installed in Almaty, will be developed by US companies Holtec International and WSC Inc., a subsidiary of Curtiss Wright. The facility is expected to serve as a regional training hub for Kazakhstan and Central Asia.
According to the embassy, “This new facility is a critical step in developing the workforce to expedite US SMR deployment with trustworthy vendors who meet the highest nuclear security, safety, and nonproliferation standards.”
In parallel, the FIRST program, together with US engineering firm Sargent and Lundy, has launched an SMR feasibility study in Kazakhstan. The study aims to identify US SMR technologies suitable for potential deployment sites in the country. Kazakhstan is the first Central Asian partner to join the FIRST program, which was launched in 2021.
The initiative comes as Kazakhstan explores additional power generation options to support economic growth and digital infrastructure, including data centers. While the country has existing agreements with Russia and China to build large nuclear reactors, interest in SMRs signals a broader diversification of nuclear energy partnerships and technologies.
The Times of Central Asia: AI could boost productivity of Kazakhstan’s workforce, study finds
Artificial intelligence is expected to significantly boost labor productivity in Kazakhstan without leading to mass job losses, according to preliminary findings of a joint study by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the international analytical agency Quacquarelli Symonds, reports The Times of Central Asia.
The results were presented at a government meeting on January 6.
Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek said AI should be viewed as a tool to enhance human labor rather than replace it. “About 70% of Kazakhstan’s workforce has medium or high potential for productivity growth through artificial intelligence. In most cases, this does not mean job elimination, but changes in job content and skills,” he noted.
In response, AI related competencies are being integrated into all higher education programs starting in 2025, with 95 universities already offering AI disciplines. Nurbek also announced plans to establish an Artificial Intelligence University under the Alem.ai ecosystem.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has set the goal of transforming Kazakhstan into a digital nation within three years.
“Artificial intelligence creates a dividing line between countries that move forward and those that fall behind,” he said, declaring AI a national development priority.
The Washington Post: A Silk Road moonscape, with no Americans in sight
In an article published by The Washington Post, Kazakhstan’s tourist destinations are described as “lunar landscapes of the Silk Road.”
The author recounts a personal journey across the region, drawing the attention of international audiences to the natural uniqueness of the Bozzhyra, Torysh and Zhygylgan tracts. The piece highlights the experience of secluded and authentic travel, emphasizing untouched landscapes and a sense of remoteness.
International interest in the Mangystau Region as a destination for adventure and educational tourism continues to grow, a trend confirmed by the increasing flow of foreign visitors.
You can read last week’s weekly digest here.
