Kazakhstan has joined OpenAI’s Education for Countries program, becoming one of the first nations selected for the global initiative aimed at integrating artificial intelligence into national education systems.
The program, launched by U.S.-based AI research and deployment company OpenAI, developer of ChatGPT, is part of the broader OpenAI for Countries framework. Kazakhstan joins the inaugural cohort alongside Estonia, Greece, Italy’s Conference of University Rectors, Jordan, Slovakia, Trinidad & Tobago, and the United Arab Emirates.
Kazakhstan’s participation marks the beginning of a nationwide rollout of ChatGPT Edu, OpenAI’s education-focused AI platform.
According to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the initiative is considered strategically important for Kazakhstan’s long-term education policy.
Amid global debates over AI’s role in education, Kazakh officials stress that artificial intelligence is not intended to replace teachers, but to support them by reducing administrative burdens, enhancing teaching capacity, and enabling personalized instruction.
The introduction of ChatGPT Edu is expected to streamline lesson planning, improve assessment processes, and support individualized learning.
The project is being implemented under agreements reached during President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s official visit to the United States in November 2025. The key agreement was signed by OpenAI, Inc., Freedom Holding Corp., and Bilim Group.
Crucially, the initiative is fully financed through private funding, with no allocations from the state budget or international grants.
Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev noted that Kazakhstan’s inclusion in the first cohort coincides with the country declaring 2026 the Year of Artificial Intelligence and Digitalization.
“We view ChatGPT Edu as a practical tool to support educators and strengthen the research environment,” Madiyev said, adding that the initiative reflects the government’s systematic approach to AI deployment in priority sectors.
As part of the national rollout, 165,000 free ChatGPT Edu licenses will be distributed, including:
- 100,000 licenses for teachers in preschool, secondary, technical, and vocational education
- 62,800 licenses for university faculty and administrative staff
- 2,200 licenses for participants in the Astana Hub technology ecosystem
ChatGPT Edu will enable educators to prepare materials, tests, and assignments in Kazakh, Russian, and English, with content tailored to students’ academic levels.
Beginning in January 2026, nationwide training programs will be launched in cooperation with OpenAI specialists, focusing on the practical use of AI in teaching, administration, and research.
Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek called the partnership with OpenAI a foundational step in shaping the future of Kazakhstan’s education system.
“Artificial intelligence is not a replacement for humans. When used critically and responsibly, it enhances thinking,” Nurbek said. “In education and science, AI accelerates material preparation, improves feedback quality, and opens new research opportunities. Kazakhstan is not training users of artificial intelligence we are training its creators.”
Kazakhstan currently leads Central Asia in AI adoption.
According to Microsoft’s AI Economy Institute report Global AI Adoption in 2025 – A Widening Digital Divide, Kazakhstan ranked 72nd out of 147 countries, with 13.7% of its working-age population using AI tools by the end of 2025. By comparison:
- Kyrgyzstan ranked 117th (8.2%)
- Uzbekistan 141st (6.3%)
- Tajikistan 145th (5.6%)
- Turkmenistan 146th (5.6%)
In a January 5 interview with Turkistan newspaper, Tokayev underscored the strategic importance of artificial intelligence for Kazakhstan’s long-term competitiveness.
“The emergence of artificial intelligence has created a dividing line between countries that will move into the future and those that will be left behind. That is why digital technologies and artificial intelligence have been declared national development priorities,” he stated.
Kazakhstan’s participation in Education for Countries places it among a small group of early adopters embedding generative AI into education not as a pilot, but as core infrastructure.
