GITEX, the world’s largest technology and startup event network, today announced the inaugural GITEX Ai CENTRAL ASIA & CAUCASUS Kazakhstan will take place in Almaty, the country’s largest city, from 4-5 May 2026. The new location puts the event at the centre of the region’s hub for commerce, manufacturing, enterprise, and innovation.
Aligning with Kazakhstan’s year of digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI), GITEX Ai CENTRAL ASIA & CAUCASUS Kazakhstan reinforces the country’s intent to be one of world’s most influential technology ecosystems while enabling export growth, stronger partnerships, and increased investment into technology-driven projects.
Organised by inD – the global organisers of GITEX events – and hosted by the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, in partnership with Astana Hub and the Akimat of Almaty, GITEX Ai CENTRAL ASIA & CAUCASUS Kazakhstan will convene global policymakers, frontier-tech enterprises, AI visionaries, cloud and data-infrastructure leaders, fintech disruptors, and the region’s most promising startups to propel the region’s transformation into a competitive digital powerhouse.
Zhaslan Madiev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, commented: “Hosting GITEX in Almaty confirms Kazakhstan’s growing role as a regional hub for technology leaders, startups, and investment. For us, this is not just a large-scale event, but a practical instrument to accelerate digital transformation and the adoption of artificial intelligence across the economy and public administration. Our objective is to ensure that this momentum delivers measurable impact — enabling faster market deployment of solutions, increasing productivity, and creating new opportunities for people and businesses across the region.”
Darhan Satybaldy, akim of Almaty city, said: “By hosting GITEX in Almaty, we are positioning the city to become an even more influential hub of innovation, commerce and enterprise for the wider Central Asian region. As our local development of frontier technology grows so does the realisation of our national ambition to export it to the rest of the world.”
Trixie LohMirmand, CEO of inD, global organiser of GITEX, noted: “Kazakhstan’s leadership has demonstrated remarkable foresight in crafting a digital future rooted in conviction, capability, and socio-economic dividends. Almaty sits at the intersection of the entrepreneurial and innovation vigour ready to bring this vision to life. GITEX in Almaty offers a vantage point from which the world can not only observe the profound industrial and technological rise of Central Asia and the Caucasus but also participate in shaping its evolution.”
A Strategic Move to the Country’s Innovation Heartland
Welcoming influential tech stakeholders in Almaty aligns with Kazakhstan’s broader digital strategy and responds directly to the city’s rapid rise as an innovation epicentre. It is home to more than 1,500 startups, and accounts for 50% of the country’s Venture Capitalist (VC) funds and will soon welcome the world-class Qazaqstan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (QAIST), reaffirming its position as the hub where innovation, investments and technical talent thrive. In this setting, GITEX offers unparalleled proximity to the companies, startups, investors, and research institutions shaping Central Asia’s emerging digital-first economy.
A New Anchor for the World’s Leading Tech & Investments Network
Central Asia and the Caucasus are undergoing a seismic technological shift as digital adoption accelerates, startup ecosystems mature, and governments pursue future-focused transformation agendas. Within this landscape, Kazakhstan emerges as a regional frontrunner; home to Central Asia’s largest hyperscale data centre, more than 90% digitised public services, and flagship initiatives such as the alem.ai international AI centre.
GITEX’s arrival in Kazakhstan marks a defining moment for this digital trajectory. With Almaty as the host city, the event becomes a regional anchor for the GITEX network, the world’s largest global ecosystem, which now links Central Asia and the Caucasus to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Brazil, Germany, India, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Serbia, Singapore, Turkey, and Vietnam.
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Kazakhstan has developed a rapidly growing startup ecosystem in the field of artificial intelligence. The country is home to more than 100 AI startups, and the volume of venture investments in AI projects increased more than fivefold between 2023 and 2025 – from approximately $14 million to $73 million. As a result, AI now accounts for more than half of all venture investments in Kazakhstan.
These figures are presented in the Kazakhstan AI Country Report, the country’s first comprehensive overview of the AI market, covering government strategy, digital and computing infrastructure, human capital, startups, venture investments, and industry use cases of AI implementation. The official presentation of the report took place today at the Astana Hub Event Hall in the capital of Kazakhstan.
The study was prepared by the analytical agency RISE Research in partnership with Mastercard and Freedom Bank, with the support of the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan and GITEX AI Central Asia & Caucasus. The report is based on more than 30 in-depth interviews with practitioners, an analysis of international benchmarks and business models of over 100 Kazakhstani AI startups, as well as 10 practical AI implementation case studies.
According to the report, Kazakhstan is entering a new stage of development, moving from digitalization to the large-scale adoption of artificial intelligence. AI is viewed as a key driver of economic growth and a tool for strengthening the country’s international competitiveness. According to the authors’ estimates, the adoption of AI could generate an additional 0.5-2% annual increase in Kazakhstan’s GDP in the medium term by boosting productivity across more than half of all jobs.
Dmitry Mun, Vice-Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan:
“Kazakhstan is implementing a comprehensive, institutionally embedded AI strategy. It includes the adoption of a dedicated Artificial Intelligence Law, the creation of a National AI Platform, the development of sovereign computing infrastructure, support for Kazakh-language large language models (LLMs), the launch of the international AI center Alem.ai, and large-scale human capital development programs. As a result, by 2025 around 1 million specialists had already been trained in AI-related skills, and by 2030, it is planned to equip 5 million citizens with basic and advanced AI skills”.
According to the report’s authors, most Kazakhstani AI startups are focused on applied B2B solutions and operate in both domestic and international markets. The highest concentration of projects is observed in the segments of Enterprise AI and business automation, Industry 4.0, MarTech, EdTech, and MedTech.
The year 2025 became a turning point for the ecosystem: the market saw the emergence of its first unicorn, Higgsfield AI, and the largest Bridge and Series A funding rounds in Kazakhstan’s history were recorded. These deals confirmed the ability of AI companies founded by Kazakhstani entrepreneurs to attract significant international capital.
Sanzhar Zhamalov, Country Manager in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, Mastercard:
“Mastercard sees AI as one of the core drivers of economic transformation, unlocking new opportunities for growth. The Report captures our perspective on AI as a practical engine for productivity gains and stronger business competitiveness in Kazakhstan. We are seeing an ambitious AI ecosystem emerge in the country with the potential to deliver world-class solutions and we are committed to being an active contributor and trusted technology partner in its development”.
The study provides a dedicated analysis of the key foundations for the development of the artificial intelligence ecosystem – computing infrastructure and human capital. The report notes that computing capacity is no longer a critical constraint for AI development, thanks to the launch of two new AI clusters (Alem.Cloud and AI-Farabium by Kazakhtelecom JSC) with a combined capacity of approximately 3.6 exaflops. According to the authors’ estimates, around 2,000 H100/H200-class GPUs are already in operation across the country.
Industries with high digital maturity and large volumes of data are leading the pace of AI adoption – namely the financial sector, telecommunications, electronic government services (eGov), retail, and IT, where AI is widely used in customer service, marketing, and analytics.
Aidos Zhumagulov, Member of the Board of Directors of Freedom Bank:
“Growth in venture investment and the emergence of the first unicorn confirm the maturity of Kazakhstan’s technology market. For the financial sector, this marks a transition toward more sophisticated, intelligent products. Today, banks use AI in risk management, fraud prevention, data analytics, and customer service. Large volumes of data and high reliability requirements make financial institutions a natural environment for the practical application of such technologies. When this experience is supported by infrastructure, regulation, and talent development, it begins to work at the level of the entire economy. This approach lays the foundation for Kazakhstan’s long-term digital growth”.
At the same time, the government is placing a strategic emphasis on the adoption of AI in the real sector, as well as in socially significant industries with high economic and public impact – industry, agriculture, transport and logistics, energy, education, and healthcare.
The report also highlights both the strengths and structural constraints of the market. Key advantages include systematic government support, investments in sovereign computing infrastructure and skills development, a high level of digital maturity of the economy, and a growing startup ecosystem. An additional factor is the country’s young and educated population: in 2025, 21% of graduates chose engineering and ICT-related fields. At the same time, further scaling of AI is constrained by a shortage of high-quality industry-specific data, uneven access to infrastructure and competencies across regions, low levels of R&D funding, a lack of experienced specialists, and limited access to late-stage venture capital.
Assel Abdrakhmanova, Managing Partner at RISE Research:
“Artificial intelligence in Kazakhstan is moving beyond isolated experiments to become part of the country’s economic architecture – from startups and AI-based enterprise adoption to the realisation of the national-level policy in this domain. The synchronized progress of startups, business, and government is a key indicator of a maturing AI market”.
The Kazakhstan AI Country Report is intended to serve as a key reference point for investors, businesses, and government stakeholders in shaping a long-term AI development strategy and integrating the country into the global economy under the strategic course of Generative Nation.
The full version of the Kazakhstan AI Country Report in Kazakh, English, and Russian is available on the website www.rise.com.kz or via the link.
Mobile services are becoming a key channel for accessing public services: since the beginning of 2025, Kazakhstani citizens have received more than 51.5 million services online, almost half of which were delivered via the eGov Mobile application.
As of today, around 90% of public services in Kazakhstan are available online. The eGov.kz portal has over 15.1 million registered users, including 610.000 new users since the start of this year.
The eGov Mobile application is used by over 11.7 million Kazakhstani citizens, with a monthly active user audience of 6,4 million. Over 671.000 users use the application daily. In 2025, citizens gained access to more than 220 digital public services.
Besides, from standard certificates and services, citizens are also actively using new digital tools. The most popular services include the voluntary opt-out from bank loans and microcredits, the certificate of no criminal record, and the certificate of registration activities for legal entities.
Since June 2025, Kazakhstan has introduced a new digital tool for citizen interaction with law-enforcement agencies — the «Law and Order» service, which allows users to report offenses promptly via mobile application without the need for phone calls or in-person visits.
In August 2025, the eGov Mobile application received its largest update in recent years. The key innovation was the eGov AI intelligent search, powered by artificial intelligence technologies.
In 2025, Kazakhstani citizens received over 25.7 million public services via the eGov.kz portal. Among the most requested services on the portal were the certificate of pension contributions, registration at an in-patient clinic and the F-6 certificate concerning property ownership.
This year, measures to improve information security and safeguard user data against fraud in the use of public online services have been further reinforced. Thus, since October 2025, the authorization procedure on the eGov.kz portal has been updated. Now, after the first stage of authorization using a digital signature (DS), the user must verify their identity with an SMS code sent from 1414. The changes apply to the eGov.kz portal as well as its components (the eOtinish service and the «Open Government» portal).
Additionally, to enhance user convenience, authorization using login and password has been introduced, allowing users to enter their IIN/BIN and password while identity verification is performed via digital signature (the updates affect the eGov.kz portal and its components, including the eOtinish service, the Smart Bridge platform, and the «Open Government» portal.
Google launched its artificial intelligence model, Gemini, in the Kazakh language. The release, timed with Independence Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan, is part of the global expansion of language support for one of the company’s most advanced AI products.
The Kazakh language is among 23 new languages added as part of the rollout of Gemini 3 — the most intelligent model to date. This means that users in Kazakhstan now have access to Gemini’s capabilities in their native language, on par with the world’s major languages.
The Kazakh-language Gemini interface is already available in the web version. To enable it, users need to select Kazakh in their Google account language settings. Support for mobile versions on Android and iOS, as well as the launch of Gemini Live — a real-time conversational mode — is planned for the near future.
The launch of the Kazakh version of Gemini is part of Google’s broader efforts to advance artificial intelligence in Kazakhstan, including investments in talent development, digital skills training, and support for developers. According to the company’s estimates, the adoption of AI in the public sector can generate a significant economic impact, including increased productivity in public administration, improved fiscal sustainability, and a contribution to the country’s overall economic growth.
The Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan notes that the availability of global AI solutions in the Kazakh language is an important step toward building a digital state, expanding citizens’ access to technology, and fostering a competitive AI ecosystem.
The Ministry will continue to cooperate with international technology partners to advance artificial intelligence, localize digital products, and train a new generation of specialists.
The Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan (MAIDD RK), together with National Information Technologies JSC (NITEC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has launched the Open-Source Public Organizations Readiness Assessment (OSPORA) programme to evaluate the readiness of Kazakhstan’s government agencies to transition to open-source solutions.
To support governments in their transition to open-source solutions, UNDP’s Digital, AI and Innovation Centre, with the support of the Government of France, is implementing the “Open-Source Public Organizations Readiness Assessment” (OSPORA) initiative. The initiative helps countries assess their ability to adopt, scale, and manage open-source software. OSPORA is aimed at strengthening policies, governance systems, and institutional capacity throughout the process of national digital transformation. As part of the initiative, countries are offered a structured approach that enables them to assess their level of readiness, engage national leaders, and identify concrete steps for establishing Open-Source Programme Office functions within the broader digital transformation agenda.
As part of the programme’s implementation, training on the fundamentals of open-source technologies has begun in Astana for representatives of NITEC, various ministries, the Digital Government Support Centre (DGSC), and Kazdream IT Holding. In addition, all stakeholders will participate in interviews for the subsequent assessment of the country’s readiness. At the next stage of the initiative, experts from MAIDD RK and NITEC, together with UNDP, will complete the readiness assessment report, identifying key gaps and opportunities, and preparing practical recommendations to accelerate the adoption of open-source solutions in Kazakhstan.
Participation in OSPORA will give Kazakhstani specialists access to global expertise and practical tools. Their application will help the country accelerate digital transformation, enhance the maturity of public service architecture, and establish engagement with both global and local open-source communities.
Joining OSPORA is an important step for Kazakhstan toward a more open, secure, and innovative digital future. Strengthening national capacity in open-source technology governance will contribute to:
Commitment to open-source principles enables Kazakhstan to strengthen its position as a regional leader in digital government, including areas such as open artificial intelligence and digital healthcare.
Earlier, the Republic of Kazakhstan expressed its interest in systematically working with open technologies. In mid-2024, NITEC submitted an official application to join the OSPORA initiative implemented by UNDP. The application emphasizes the national commitment to implementing open practices in government processes. For Kazakhstan, this will be an important step toward strengthening technological sovereignty, modernizing digital governance, and reducing dependence on proprietary solutions.
The “Alem.Cloud” national supercomputer ranked 86th in the TOP500, the international ranking of the world’s most powerful computing systems. The ranking includes only those clusters that undergo independent testing based on the HPL (High-Performance Linpack) standard, the global benchmark for computing performance.
The “Alem.Cloud” national supercomputing cluster was established on the instruction of the Head of State, based on the infrastructure of NIT JSC under the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development. The supercomputer is intended for implementing projects in artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and big data analytics. The cluster’s architecture is built on 64 HPE Cray servers integrated into a single high-density GPU complex. Each computing node is equipped with modern NVIDIA H200 accelerators.
The Alem.Cloud supercomputer project was implemented in collaboration with Presight, an international technology company from the G42 group in the UAE. Presight provided support in designing high-performance computing clusters and developing the AI ecosystem, which made it possible to tailor leading global practices to Kazakhstan’s needs.
Ranking 86th in the TOP500 confirms that Kazakhstan possesses world-class scientific and technological infrastructure and has significant potential for developing its own AI models. This opens up opportunities for the country to conduct breakthrough research, as well as to develop the export of digital services and technologies in the future.
The system delivers performance in the high petaflop range and is currently the most powerful computing platform in Kazakhstan and the Eurasian region.
The supercomputer’s software includes SUSE Harvester technologies, a next-generation hypervisor for virtualization and distributed computing, as well as SUSE Rancher, a platform for centralized management of Kubernetes and AI workloads. The security of the cluster is ensured by SUSE NeuVector, a container security system with network control and runtime protection; Palo Alto Networks solutions for network security and segmentation; as well as Thales cryptographic and hardware solutions for encryption and key management.
Previously, NIT JSC’s technical specialists, together with international partners, conducted comprehensive testing using the HPL (Linpack) methodology. The purpose of the test was to measure the system’s performance and confirm its readiness for submission to the TOP500 ranking. Based on the results of this test, the supercomputer achieved performance metrics that enabled Kazakhstan to officially submit an application for inclusion in the global TOP500 ranking.
The Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Clearbrook Energy Solutions (CES), and AG-Tech have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) manufacturing and assembly plant in Kazakhstan.
The signing took place on the sidelines of the C5+1 Business Conference in Washington, D.C. The project marks an important step in Kazakhstan’s energy transition, enhancing energy security and enabling greater integration of renewable energy sources. The total investment is estimated at USD 350 million. Clearbrook will provide technologies for energy storage and virtual power plants, while AG-Tech will ensure localization and integration of digital energy management systems.
«This project is of strategic importance for Kazakhstan. It will help create a sustainable and reliable energy system essential for the development of digital infrastructure and the implementation of national technology projects»,- said Zhaslan Madiyev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
«Kazakhstan is taking a decisive step toward energy independence and digital resilience. Clearbrook Energy Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of Clearbrook, is proud to partner with the Government of Kazakhstan and AG-Tech to localize advanced energy storage technologies that will underpin Kazakhstan’s digital economy and clean energy transition», – said Marcia-Elizabeth Christian Favale, Chairwoman, Central Asia for Clearbrook.
Press Service of the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan
The Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE, USA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen partnership in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing (HPC), and next-generation digital infrastructure.
The signing marks an important step in advancing Kazakhstan’s priorities for building sovereign AI infrastructure, enhancing technological independence, and developing human capital for the future.
Under this partnership, Kazakhstan and HPE will collaborate in several key areas:
«We are building an ecosystem where technology serves the development of people, science, and the economy. Collaboration with Hewlett Packard Enterprise will strengthen Kazakhstan’s infrastructure foundation and enable our engineers and researchers to work with world-class technologies. This is a step toward creating a sustainable, competitive, and truly intelligent economy»,- said Zhaslan Madiyev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The Memorandum was signed as part of the official visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United States and the business program of the C5+1 Business Conference, which brings together the countries of Central Asia and the United States in advancing technological partnership and digital development.
This partnership will reinforce Kazakhstan’s position as a regional hub for artificial intelligence and innovation, while creating new opportunities for technology localization and the development of globally competitive talent.
Press Service of the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan
The Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Cisco, the global leader in Networking and Security, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening strategic cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing, and digital transformation.
The signing took place during the C5+1 format business conference, which included an official meeting between Zhaslan Madiyev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and senior leaders at Cisco—led by Jeff Campbell, Senior Vice President and Chief Government Strategy Officer.
The MoU outlines the intent to develop joint initiatives over the next five years that are designed to establish advanced AI infrastructure, foster competencies, and strengthen Kazakhstan’s position as a technological hub in the region.
"Today's memorandum of understanding deepens Cisco's partnership with the Republic of Kazakhstan to accelerate the government's vision for a digital transformation powered by AI,” said Cisco SVP and Chief Government Strategy Officer Jeff Campbell. “Building a successful AI ecosystem requires a foundation of trust and security - principles that are at the core of Cisco's technology—and we look forward to supporting Kazakhstan's AI and innovation ambitions, which will help strengthen the country's long-term economic success."
The signing of the MoU underscored the long-term nature of the collaboration and the commitment of both parties to creating new technological opportunities, including projects in security, digital government, healthcare, and national information platforms.
“We value Kazakhstan’s commitment to the development and adoption of advanced technologies, and we are looking forward to further support key national projects based on this collaboration,” commented Didem Duru, the Managing Director for Cisco in Türkiye, Romania and CIS.
Press Service of the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Cointelegraph and the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance the country’s Web3 ecosystem and promote Kazakhstan as a regional hub for digital innovation.
The partnership focuses on strengthening international awareness of Kazakhstan’s progress in blockchain, artificial intelligence, and fintech development, fostering collaboration between government, business, and the global Web3 community.
Jeffrey Milligan, Global Head of Partnerships at Cointelegraph, noted that the collaboration reflects Cointelegraph’s long-term commitment to supporting the growth of emerging Web3 markets. «Kazakhstan has made significant progress in building a transparent and innovation-friendly digital economy», Milligan said. «Through this partnership, Cointelegraph aims to contribute to that momentum by sharing global expertise, driving media collaboration, and connecting local innovators with the international Web3 ecosystem».
The MoU outlines a broad framework for cooperation, including the development of educational programs and workshops for government agencies and private sector participants, joint analytical research, and co-organization of major Web3 and fintech events in Kazakhstan. The collaboration also envisions producing original media content and research to highlight Kazakhstan’s digital transformation to Cointelegraph’s global audience.
Founded in 2013, Cointelegraph is one of the world’s leading independent media outlets covering blockchain, cryptocurrency, and digital technologies. With offices across the United States, Europe, and Asia, Cointelegraph reports on global industry trends, regulatory developments, and emerging technologies shaping the decentralized future.
Press Service of the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan