Digital Infrastructure - The Times Of Central Asia

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Cyber Security

Kazakhstan to Train “White Hat” Hackers and AI Engineers for the Energy Sector

Kazakhstan plans to train cybersecurity and AI specialists for the energy sector as part of its broader effort to digitally transform the industry, the country’s Ministry of Energy said. In 2026, declared the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence in the electricity and heat power sector, the ministry plans to develop a professional standard titled Digitalization and the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Energy. The document envisages the creation of new professions, including “white hat” hackers and AI engineers. A “white hat” hacker is a cybersecurity specialist who legally tests IT systems for vulnerabilities with the owners’ permission. Unlike malicious hackers, such experts identify weaknesses so they can be fixed before potential attacks, thereby protecting data and infrastructure. Following a meeting of the Sectoral Council for Electricity and Heat Power Engineering under the ministry, the new standard was expanded to include the following specialties: smart grid designer, engineer for the development and implementation of AI in power systems (Smart Grid), and energy grid cybersecurity specialist (“white hat” hacker). The ministry said these professions were formulated on the basis of Kazakhstan’s Atlas of New Professions and Competencies and are intended to adapt the education system to the demands of the digital economy. The development of Smart Grid systems is seen as one of the key tasks for the next five to ten years. In the future, some energy system management functions, including dispatch control, are expected to be handed over to intelligent algorithms, requiring new competencies at the intersection of energy and IT. As part of the digitalization of the fuel and energy complex, Kazakhstan also plans to create a system of digital models and “digital twins” for facilities within the Unified Energy System as early as 2026. “Our goal is not simply to digitize processes, but to create an intelligent model of the energy system. This will improve the quality of operational management and make it possible to take strategic decisions based on precise data rather than forecasts,” Vice Minister of Energy Bakytzhan Ilyas said. According to him, the introduction of vertical online monitoring using digital twins will make it possible to track key parameters in real time from generation volumes to energy production costs. This will form the basis for tariff-setting policy and investment attraction. Kazakhstan’s energy sector is already implementing a number of projects using artificial intelligence technologies. Among them is AI-based defect detection on power transmission lines using drones, computer vision, and machine learning. The technology can identify support structure defects, overheating, and deformations using data from 4K cameras, thermal imagers, and LiDAR. Another example is robotic diagnostics of heating networks using acoustic resonance, allowing the condition of pipelines to be assessed without excavation or shutting down the system. The ministry emphasizes that the digitalization of the energy sector requires not only technological solutions, but also systematic workforce training. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan plans to expand the use of AI across various sectors from healthcare to the fiscal sphere, including early...

Aitu Messenger

Kazakhstan Considers National Messaging App Aitu for Insurance Companies

Kazakhstan’s Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market is considering the use of the domestic messaging platform Aitu for remote communication between insurance companies and other non-bank financial institutions and their clients. According to Bloomberg, the regulator has recommended that market participants consider using the Kazakh-developed messenger Aitu as a communication tool. Sources cited by the publication said that insurance and brokerage firms received proposals last month regarding the potential use of the platform, partly aimed at strengthening personal data protection. Market participants expressed concerns, pointing to Aitu’s relatively small user base, limited functionality, potential integration costs, and the absence of clear regulatory guidelines for handling personal and financial data on such platforms. In response, the regulator clarified that the use of Aitu is not being considered mandatory, but rather as an additional secure communication channel between financial institutions and their clients. “This issue is being considered by the Agency in connection with the need to strengthen information security, including the protection of personal data amid rising fraud in financial services. The initiative is also aimed at standardizing communication channels between financial organizations and their clients,” the agency said in a statement. According to the regulator, Aitu’s infrastructure ensures a high level of data protection, in part due to the physical localization of servers within Kazakhstan. This, it argues, reduces risks associated with cross-border data transfers and potential interception of financial information. Additional security features include end-to-end encryption, with access keys stored only on users’ devices, as well as the Aitu Passport system, which incorporates biometric identification and a cloud-based electronic digital signature. The regulator states that these tools provide legally valid user verification and help minimize risks such as phishing and identity theft. The agency also noted that the use of open APIs and business dashboards would allow financial institutions to integrate their systems with the platform at relatively low cost, making use of national digital infrastructure. Government agencies and quasi-state companies had earlier been encouraged to adopt Aitu for official communications. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, the rollout of the national messenger has sparked broader debate over the balance between cybersecurity and internet freedom in Kazakhstan.

Internet disruptions

Internet Outages Reported Across Turkmenistan Since February

Since February, widespread internet disruptions across Turkmenistan have affected both business operations and daily life. According to reports by the independent outlet turkmen.news, the issue is not limited to routine website blocking but involves broader interference with data transmission. Sources cited by the outlet suggest that a mechanism described as “network degradation” is being used. This reportedly involves the intentional reduction of data transfer reliability rather than simply restricting access to specific online resources. The Cybersecurity Agency and the telecommunications company Ykjam Aragatnaşyk have been mentioned in this context. According to these accounts, a significant share of internet traffic may fail to reach its destination. Estimates cited by sources indicate that packet loss could range from 30% to as much as 70% in some cases. “If, instead of the advertised 6 Mbps, subscribers simply experienced a reduction in speed, the inconvenience might be manageable. However, when data packets are lost during transmission, connectivity becomes unstable, making effective internet use extremely difficult,” one source told the outlet. In practice, users report that web pages often fail to load fully or display error messages, requiring multiple refresh attempts. Tasks that previously took seconds can now take minutes or longer. Services that depend on stable connections, including video conferencing platforms such as Zoom, are reportedly among the most affected. Although the reported restrictions are said to target external internet traffic, their impact has also been felt within domestic infrastructure. On March 10, banking services across the country were reportedly disrupted, with users experiencing difficulties withdrawing cash or making card payments. Communication has also been affected. Users report delays in sending messages through mobile applications, while some areas have experienced disruptions to mobile services. Businesses are said to be incurring additional costs, communication with foreign partners has become more difficult, online classes have been canceled, and access to essential online resources has been limited.

Digital Payments

Tokayev Criticizes Banks Over Slow Adoption of Kazakhstan’s Digital Financial Infrastructure

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has criticized the country’s banks for their slow adoption of state-developed digital financial infrastructure. He made the remarks during a meeting on the implementation of the Digital Qazaqstan project. During the meeting, the heads of ministries and government agencies presented reports on the rollout of digital solutions in public administration and the economy. In his comments, the president stressed the need for more active deployment of artificial intelligence in industry, as well as progress in developing digital payment infrastructure. According to Tokayev, the National Bank has already created a digital financial ecosystem that includes interbank QR payments and transfers, as well as settlements using the digital tenge. “This significantly reduces costs by shortening the chain of payment intermediaries. The requirement for all banks to connect to this infrastructure is enshrined in law, but the largest banks are delaying compliance,” the president said. Since September 2025, a unified QR code system for interbank payments has been operating in Kazakhstan. The service allows users to pay for goods and services through mobile banking applications. Customers simply scan a QR code at a merchant’s terminal and confirm the transaction. Initially, the service was available to clients of three banks. At present, 15 banks have signed participation agreements, although only six have completed technical integration with the system. The remaining institutions are required to connect by July 18, 2026. Speaking in November 2025, National Bank Chairman Timur Suleimenov said the rollout had been slowed by both technical and market issues, adding that large financial ecosystems were reluctant to share payment traffic. He also described the digital tenge as a tool for transparency and control in public spending rather than a competitor to commercial banks’ own payment products. Tokayev also emphasized that the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence technologies in the real economy is a strategic priority. He linked this goal to the country’s technological sovereignty and called for accelerating the digitalization of the state apparatus. According to the president, more than 90% of public services in Kazakhstan have already been moved online, yet many government information systems remain insufficiently integrated. “Speed and quality must be the priority at every stage. It is data that needs to flow, not people,” Tokayev said. He added that digital transformation is incompatible with outdated bureaucratic practices. “Digitalization and bureaucracy are as incompatible as ice and fire. We cannot force modern technologies to fit into old administrative models,” the president stated. Tokayev also expressed concern about the pace of Kazakhstan’s digital transformation. “I read news about the development of artificial intelligence; it is advancing so rapidly that I am becoming anxious about Kazakhstan’s digital future. It seems to me that the digitalization process is slowing down,” he noted. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that the adoption of artificial intelligence technologies in the financial sector across Central Asia remains uneven, although Kazakhstan is currently regarded as the regional leader.

Starlink internet

Kazakhstan to Provide Satellite Internet to Neighboring Countries via Starlink Stations

Kazakhstan plans to use Starlink satellite communication ground stations located on its territory to transmit internet traffic to neighboring countries. The announcement was made by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry Zhaslan Madiev. According to Madiev, the development of digital infrastructure is intended to meet domestic demand while also strengthening Kazakhstan’s position as a regional hub for digital connectivity. Internet traffic will be routed through Starlink gateway stations located in the country. He stated that satellite internet delivered via Kazakhstani ground stations is expected to become available to Tajikistan as early as 2026. In the future, the system may also be extended to Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan. At the same time, he noted that Uzbekistan has proposed off-take contracts related to a trans-Caspian fiber-optic communication line. The deployment of Starlink infrastructure in Kazakhstan was formalized in a separate agreement between the country’s authorities and representatives of Starlink last summer. In parallel, the government is expanding terrestrial digital infrastructure. According to the ministry, an additional 1,900 villages will gain access to fiber-optic communication lines this year. In 2027, coverage is expected to exceed 90% of rural settlements. Authorities also plan to ensure communication coverage along all national highways, at border checkpoints, and on the main passenger routes operated by Kazakhstan Temir Zholy. Internet access is also set to become available on board the national airline for the first time.