AI will not be occupying senior government posts in Kazakhstan anytime soon. While AI-based tools may serve as advisors and consultants to top officials, there are currently no plans to appoint virtual or digital deputy ministers. This was confirmed by Rostislav Konyashkin, First Deputy Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.
The question arose during a press conference following a cabinet meeting, when journalists referenced Albania’s 2025 decision to appoint a virtual minister for public procurement, the first of its kind globally. They asked whether Kazakhstan was considering a similar initiative.
According to Konyashkin, AI systems have not yet reached the level of reliability required for managing official functions.
“As political officials, we are responsible for the decisions we make, so the emergence of digital deputy ministers is not expected at this time. When AI provides correct answers in 95-97% of cases, then perhaps we can begin discussing the transfer of some powers to algorithms. For now, we are only talking about AI assisting in analysis and decision-making,” he stated.
Konyashkin expressed hope that in the future, personal AI assistants could be developed to the level of full-fledged consultants and advisors, significantly easing the workload of civil servants. Only after practical trials of such systems, he noted, could discussions about formal AI appointments begin.
He also pointed to an existing example: the SKAI (Samruk-Kazyna Artificial Intelligence) neural network, which was added to the board of directors at the state holding company Samruk-Kazyna. However, its role remains consultative and does not involve decision-making authority.
Konyashkin additionally outlined plans to establish a secure digital environment enabling Kazakh civil servants to work remotely. This includes secure access to work systems via tablets and trusted laptops, particularly during field operations conducted by ministries and akimats.
To support this, a unified authorization system is in development, with optional biometric identification for accessing sensitive personal data. There are also plans to integrate various digital tools, video conferencing, messaging platforms, and email, into a single work interface. According to Konyashkin, this will streamline administrative processes and enhance the efficiency of Kazakhstan’s digital infrastructure.
