President Tokayev attends Astana AI Film Festival opening ceremony

In his remarks, the Head of State noted the exclusive character of the festival.

Tokayev said that the Astana AI Film Festival is a unique project providing a platform for proactive, educated, innovative, and creative individuals to showcase their talents and abilities. According to the President, it is, in a sense, a competition of sharp minds and bold initiatives.

“The modern era is an age of knowledge, science, and innovation. Artificial intelligence is bringing about fundamental changes across all sectors of the global economy. In short, technological progress has truly reached a global scale.,” said Tokayev.

The Head of State named the Astana AI Film Festival a vivid example of rapid development of creative industries in Kazakhstan.

He reminded that certain measures are being taken in the country to shape an integral ecosystem in this sector, while talented citizens are provided with comprehensive support.

The Head of State also emphasized the importance of ensuring the responsible development and use of artificial intelligence.

“Today, as technology advances at an unprecedented pace, many politicians, scientists, and tech leaders are expressing concern about the growing capabilities of artificial intelligence and the risks associated with its uncontrolled use. At the same time, one thing is clear: this trend is irreversible. I believe no one would disagree with that.

Throughout human history, Prometheus' fire has been viewed both as a symbol of progress and as a source of destructive power. Nuclear energy is a good example in this regard. Therefore, we must give top priority to safety issues and develop common rules of the game for the responsible development and use of artificial intelligence in order to ensure a safe future for the younger generation.

At the same time, we must do everything possible to unlock the enormous creative potential of future technologies. This is precisely the core idea behind the AI Film Festival,” stressed the President.

During the opening ceremony, remarks were also delivered by Almas Zhali, founder of the Astana International AI Film Festival; Timur Turlov, CEO of Freedom Holding Corp.; Balaji Srinivasan, founder of Network School; festival participant Jamin Tasker; and Audrey Azoulay, Chair of the Jury of the international Astana AI Film Festival.

Earlier, it was reported that the Astana AI Film Festival drew over 1,900 submissions from more than 90 countries.