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Mining

Uzbekistan Plans $30 Billion Mining Investment Drive Backed by AI and Digital Geology

Uzbekistan is planning a major digital transformation of its mining and geology sector, with artificial intelligence set to play a central role in mineral exploration, resource management, and industrial production. According to the presidential press service, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation on June 9 on plans to expand the use of digital technologies and AI across the industry, one of the country’s key economic sectors. Officials said mining and geology enterprises accounted for 20% of Uzbekistan’s industrial output in 2025 and generated 118.5 trillion soums in budget revenues. The government sees technological modernization as a priority for improving efficiency, attracting investment, and expanding the country’s long-term resource base. The presentation pointed to progress already made in digitalization. Major mining enterprises cut operating expenses by 7.3 trillion soums in 2025, while production costs fell by 9.1%. Authorities have also launched the Geomonitoring information system and digitized data on more than 2,000 mineral deposits. Over the next five years, Uzbekistan aims to increase its proven reserves by 879 tons of gold, 510 tons of silver, and 676,000 tons of copper. Officials said AI technologies will be introduced throughout the geological exploration process to speed up the analysis of geological data, improve reserve assessments, forecast promising mineral deposits, and make drilling more efficient. Mirziyoyev instructed officials to take the sector’s technological transformation to a new stage by creating systems capable of managing and analyzing production processes with AI. The industry generates large volumes of information, from geological surveys and drilling results to maps, laboratory analyses, and production data. Integrating these resources into a unified electronic database and applying 3D modeling tools could improve exploration outcomes. According to the presentation, the proposed measures could reduce production costs by 10%, cut the time needed to identify new deposits by half, and increase the number of investment proposals several times over. A key element of the strategy is the creation of a National Geological Database. Authorities plan to digitize more than 36,000 geological reports and primary data records and establish a Center for Technological Transformation. Officials estimate that this will double the speed and quality of geological data processing and accelerate reserve estimation and deposit modeling. The presentation also outlined plans to attract $30 billion in investment to the geology and mining sector by 2030. To support that target, the government plans to implement 32 digital and AI-focused projects from 2026 to 2030 at six major enterprises: Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Company, Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex, Navoiyuran, Uzmetkombinat, Uzbekcoal, and the Uzbekistan Technological Metals Complex. The projects will cover production automation, corporate governance, AI, labor and industrial safety, and geological exploration. Officials said the measures could increase operational efficiency by 7%, improve the reliability of machinery and equipment by 20%, raise energy efficiency by 8%, and reduce human-factor-related errors and risks by 15%. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Uzbekistan and the United States signed agreements earlier this year aimed at securing supply chains for critical minerals and rare earth elements,...

Digital Governance

How Digital Public Services Are Changing Daily Life in Central Asia

Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan have moved from queues at public service centers to passports in mobile apps in just a few years, compressing a transition that took many countries decades. Behind the impressive figures, however, are questions the region is still trying to answer. Not so long ago, obtaining a certificate in Central Asia meant a trip to a government office, a queue, and a stack of papers. Today, a resident of Almaty can renew a driver’s license by phone, an entrepreneur in Tashkent can register a company without leaving the office, and a doctor in Bishkek can issue an electronic sick leave certificate. The digitalization of public services has moved beyond strategic documents and become part of everyday life for tens of millions of people. The scale of change is reflected in international assessments. In the United Nations E-Government Development Index (EGDI) for 2024, Asia showed the fastest growth of any region. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan all improved their positions, each at its own pace, and each with its own model. Kazakhstan: From eGov to a Platform State Kazakhstan remains one of the region’s leaders in digital governance. In the 2024 EGDI ranking, the country rose to 24th place globally, ahead of a number of developed economies. Today, around 90% of more than 1,300 public services are available online, while the eGov.kz portal and eGov Mobile app offer access to a growing range of services. The figures speak for themselves. According to Kazakhstan’s e-government portal, citizens received more than 25.7 million services through eGov.kz in 2025, while the eGov Mobile audience exceeded 11.7 million users. The “Digital Documents” section is especially popular: the app provides access to 39 types of documents, from identity cards to driver’s licenses and student IDs. The expansion has continued. In 2025, Kazakhstan launched eGovBusiness, a single-window service for entrepreneurs that allows them to register companies, apply for subsidies, and check risks. The authorities have also moved to consolidate fragmented government apps into the unified eGov and Aitu platforms. The next frontier is artificial intelligence. In 2025, Kazakhstan established the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development. Through the National AI Platform, the country is developing sovereign infrastructure intended to support the use of generative AI in government and keep citizens’ data within national systems. Uzbekistan: The Fastest Leap Forward If Kazakhstan sets the regional benchmark, Uzbekistan has shown some of the fastest momentum. Over six years, the country climbed 24 positions in the EGDI ranking, from 87th place in 2018 to 63rd in 2024, and entered the category of countries with a “very high” level of e-government development for the first time. At the center of this transformation is the unified portal my.gov.uz, through which citizens and businesses access public services. More than 760 services are available on the platform, while the mobile app offers more than 540. In the first half of 2025 alone, more than 16 million services were provided through the system. The direction is set by the Digital Uzbekistan 2030...

Data Centers

Financial Analyst Says Kazakhstan’s State Data Centers Are Priced Beyond Reach of Businesses

The cost of services offered by state-backed data centers in Kazakhstan is too high for many businesses, making overseas cloud providers a more economical alternative, financial analyst Rasul Rysmambetov said. His comments come as Kazakhstan invests heavily in digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence technologies. Last year, the country launched what authorities described as Central Asia’s most powerful supercomputer, saying its capacity would be made available to startups, universities, and private companies developing AI solutions. The government has also announced plans to create a Data Center Valley in the northeastern Pavlodar Region to support the digitalization of the economy. However, Rysmambetov argued that the pricing of state-supported data centers limits their appeal to the private sector. “A real digital economy is built on microservices, not giant buildings filled with computers,” Rysmambetov told the Atameken Business Forum. “Data centers depreciate at a tremendous pace. Today, state data centers in Kazakhstan charge prices so high that, as a financier, it is far cheaper and easier for me to buy cloud capacity directly in California.” Rysmambetov said that despite economic growth and rising foreign investment, many Kazakhstanis have yet to see significant improvements in living standards. In his view, the key challenge is not attracting investment but converting it into jobs and productive industries. He also argued that traditional investment incentives are losing effectiveness. “Tax breaks, subsidies, and state support measures no longer create a competitive advantage. Instead, they often generate a dangerous environment for corruption,” he said. “What matters today is the quality of institutions and the speed of decision-making.” According to Rysmambetov, Kazakhstan’s investor support system remains fragmented, with multiple agencies performing overlapping functions while coordination between central and regional authorities remains weak. As a result, some government directives are not implemented locally, requiring intervention by prosecutors to protect investors’ rights. Rysmambetov identified rare earth metals and tungsten as among the sectors attracting the greatest investor interest. However, he warned that Kazakhstan risks repeating the resource-dependent model that characterized its oil industry if it focuses primarily on exporting raw materials rather than developing domestic processing industries. “Foreign investors do not create growth, they join it,” he said. “Investors see a functioning economic model, recognize an opportunity, and participate in it. But if we ourselves do not believe in our development strategy, nobody from outside will come.” Kazakhstan aims to attract $62.7 billion in investment this year, including $25.5 billion from foreign investors, as part of its economic development strategy.

Organization of Turkic States

Turkic States to Focus on Artificial Intelligence at Kazakhstan Summit

Kazakhstan will host an informal summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in the city of Turkistan on May 15, where participating leaders are expected to focus on artificial intelligence, digitalization, and expanding economic cooperation. Held under the theme “Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development,” the summit is expected to become one of the largest regional gatherings of Turkic states in 2026. Heads of state and government from member and observer countries, along with the OTS secretary-general, are expected to attend. According to the organization, participants will discuss the use of AI and digital innovation to stimulate economic growth, modernize public services, and improve regional connectivity. The agenda also includes joint initiatives involving Turkic digital platforms. Ahead of the summit, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey will make a state visit to Astana at the invitation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The leaders of Kazakhstan and Turkey are scheduled to hold the sixth meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council and discuss the development of bilateral relations. In recent years, the OTS has gradually expanded cooperation beyond its traditional political and cultural agenda to include transport corridors, energy, and the digital economy. The summit in Turkistan is expected to represent an effort to shape a common regional agenda in the field of artificial intelligence. The OTS said holding the meeting in Turkistan, described by the organization as the “spiritual capital of the Turkic world”, symbolizes an attempt to combine shared historical heritage with technological modernization across the region. The organization’s members include Kazakhstan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Observer status is held by Turkmenistan, Hungary, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The economic dimension of the summit also remains central. According to Turkish sources, annual trade turnover between Turkey and OTS member states has approached $17 billion. Turkish exports to Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan increased from $6.2 billion in 2021 to $10 billion in 2024. During the same period, imports rose from $4.2 billion to $6.5 billion. In 2025, Turkish exports to OTS countries totaled $9.6 billion, while imports reached $7.3 billion. Kazakhstan remains Turkey’s largest export destination among OTS member states, with Turkish exports to the country reaching $3.2 billion. During the first three months of 2026 alone, Turkish exports to Kazakhstan amounted to approximately $700 million. A Turkish-Kazakh business forum is also expected to take place during Erdoğan’s visit to Astana, with participation from business representatives from both countries and Turkey's Trade Minister Ömer Bolat. The forum is expected to focus on expanding trade and investment ties. As preparations for the summit intensify, Kazakhstan has increased security measures. Additional police forces from neighboring regions have reportedly been deployed to Turkistan, while military aviation training flights began in Astana on May 10 ahead of an aerial demonstration scheduled for May 15. Kazakhstan’s Defense Ministry said the flights would be conducted at safe altitudes and should not significantly affect daily life in the capital.

Higher Education

Academy of Digital Technologies & Artificial Intelligence Inaugurated in Kazakhstan

The Academy of Digital Technologies & Artificial Intelligence (ADT&AI) has opened at Satbayev University in Almaty. The new institution will focus on developing digital solutions and artificial intelligence technologies for training next-generation specialists, as well as creating solutions for the corporate sector. The opening ceremony on May 5 was attended by Presidential Aide Kuanyshbek Yessekeyev, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education Dinara Shcheglova, and Vice President of the National Academy of Sciences Askar Dzhumadildayev. According to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the new academy will offer online courses, making technical education accessible regardless of students’ location. The academy has also launched professional development programs for employees of Kazakhstani enterprises and supports businesses in implementing digital transformation tools in their operations. Through its own data center, the academy will develop digital services and artificial intelligence-based solutions. The AI Lab will play a central role in the academy’s work by integrating AI algorithms into educational and corporate products. “We are creating not just an educational platform, but a fully-fledged technological environment where education, infrastructure, and artificial intelligence work together. Our goal is to provide students and partners with real tools for working and developing in the digital economy,” said Natalia Kudryavtseva, project manager and business analyst at the AI Lab. ADT&AI was created as part of the AI-Sana national program for the development of artificial intelligence in Kazakhstan. The large-scale government initiative aims to develop AI competencies among students, support startups, and create a next-generation technological environment. The program is being implemented with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and leading universities, including Satbayev University.

Kazakhstan Develops AI System for Drilling Monitoring with Plans for Export

Kazakhstan has developed a domestically produced AI system for real-time monitoring of drilling operations and plans to promote it in international markets, Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov has announced. Speaking at a government meeting on April 28 focused on integrating AI into the economy, Akkenzhenov announced the creation of an AI alliance under the Ministry of Energy. The alliance brings together technology companies, industry participants, and developers to coordinate the deployment of digital solutions, with a priority on local innovations. One of the alliance’s key initiatives is an intelligent drilling monitoring system currently undergoing pilot implementation. According to Akkenzhenov, the system covers more than 4,000 wells and analyzes production data in real time, identifying anomalies and forecasting output levels. The pilot project is being implemented at facilities operated by KazMunayGas and other subsoil users. The deployment is expected to reduce well downtime by up to 20% and generate an estimated economic benefit of around $2.2 million annually. “It is important that the system has been developed in Kazakhstan and has export potential. Work is currently underway to promote it in international markets, including the United States,” Akkenzhenov said. The minister added that AI is also being used to monitor the circulation of petroleum products. The system processes real-time data from oil refineries, storage facilities, the national railway operator Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), and government agencies. This enables more accurate forecasting of fuel reserves and helps identify risks of shortages or excess supply. “The expected outcome is an increase in planning accuracy to 85% and savings of up to $48.4 million annually,” the minister said. The system was developed through cooperation between KazMunayGas and the Kazakh-British Technical University as part of the AI-Sana program aimed at strengthening AI capabilities. According to the ministry, the AI alliance has developed a portfolio of 45 projects, 10 of which are currently under evaluation and preparation for implementation. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had instructed the creation of a specialized artificial intelligence university in Kazakhstan.