Our people are mentally ready for such innovations: Tokayev on digitalization and artificial intelligence

The Head of State recalled that in his Address to the Nation he set the task of transforming Kazakhstan into a digital country within three years, while 2026 was declared the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence.

“Kazakhstan must become a digital power. This is a matter of our collective survival as a civilized country in a new technological era,” the President emphasized.

He noted that Kazakh society is psychologically prepared for technological change. This readiness has been reinforced, in particular, by the rapid growth of fintech companies, which in a short period of time have transformed everyday habits, from payments to access to services.

The President also drew attention to the intensifying global competition in the field of artificial intelligence. Today, the technological race is unfolding primarily between the United States and China, where AI is viewed as a matter of national leadership and dignity. In China alone, he said, around 5,000 companies are already engaged in artificial intelligence, while other developed countries are also stepping up their efforts.

Against this backdrop, Kazakhstan has made a deliberate choice to integrate AI into the economy and public life. The country has a solid starting base, including achievements in the digitalization of public services and the development of fintech and digital solutions across key sectors of the economy. A full-fledged ecosystem to support IT startups is operating nationwide, with the innovation cluster Astana Hub at its core, bringing together about 2,000 companies. Kazakhstan’s IT services exports approached $1 billion by the end of 2025.

At the same time, new areas are being launched. A pilot CryptoCity zone for the development of digital assets is being created, while construction has begun on the city of accelerated development, Alatau City. Special emphasis is being placed on working with government data, which experts describe as a new strategic resource of the emerging era.

The institutional architecture for AI is also being formed at an accelerated pace. In May last year, the Council for the Development of Artificial Intelligence began its work with the participation of leading international and domestic experts. In November, the Law on Artificial Intelligence was signed and is set to enter into force in the near future. The Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development has been established. Two supercomputers, Alem.Cloud and Al Farabium, have already been launched, and the Astana akimat, in cooperation with a major Emirati company, has developed a separate digital platform.

Special attention is being paid to human capital development. Training programs are being introduced in schools and universities. More than 650,000 students have completed training under the AI Sana program, and a specialized research university in the field of artificial intelligence is expected to open in the near future.

“With the emergence of artificial intelligence, a dividing line has appeared between countries that will manage to enter the future and those that will remain in the past,” the President noted.

According to him, 2026 will become a decisive stage of digital transformation. Kazakhstan intends to act quickly and consistently, making artificial intelligence one of the key pillars of its long-term development.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that in the same interview with Turkistan newspaper, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the country’s economy grew by more than 6 percent in 2025, with gross domestic product surpassing the $300 billion mark for the first time. GDP per capita exceeded $15,000, setting a record not only for Kazakhstan but for the entire region.