A Range of AI, Education, and Fintech Initiatives Launched at alem.ai with the Participation of the Head of State

At the initiative of the Head of State, Kazakhstan is consistently building an artificial intelligence ecosystem — from talent development and scientific advancement to the deployment of cutting-edge digital solutions in the economy, education, and public administration. The latest practical expression of this course was the International Artificial Intelligence Centre alem.ai, which was visited by President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

During the visit, the Head of State was presented with the Centre's key projects reflecting the President's strategic course towards building a technologically advanced, modern, and competitive Kazakhstan. The President was briefed on the work of the AI-Driven Government project office, AI deployment solutions for urban management under Astana Smart City, and the concept of the new AI Research University. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also officially launched the TUMO Astana Creative Technology Centre for children and a number of initiatives aimed at developing human capital in the field of artificial intelligence.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan Zhaslan Madiyev reported to the President on the Centre's key areas of activity. alem.ai is becoming an important element in the implementation of the Year of Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence and strengthens Kazakhstan's position as one of the region's technology leaders.

alem.ai has built a coherent logic for developing the AI ecosystem: from the early identification and nurturing of talent through to the launch of startups, scientific research, and the scaling of ready-made solutions. The Centre has the capacity to engage up to 10,000 people annually, while providing immersive technology education for 5,000 schoolchildren. This approach enables Kazakhstan not only to meet global demand for skilled professionals but also to independently cultivate the intellectual capital of the next generation.

The transformation of knowledge into a tangible economic resource takes place through business acceleration: the strategy envisages the annual launch of up to 100 innovative startups. In this way, alem.ai is becoming the primary assembly point for developers and entrepreneurs from across the region. By creating infrastructure where learning is inseparably linked to practical implementation, Kazakhstan is cementing its role as a leading player on the AI innovation map, capable of exporting high-technology solutions.

During the visit, the Astana Smart City project was officially launched — a large-scale initiative being implemented by Presight in partnership with the Astana city administration. Presight CEO Thomas Pramotedham presented the Head of State with the solution's architecture, the key components of which are already successfully operational. The system includes a modern situational centre, intelligent video analytics technologies, and a data centre designed specifically for the needs of a major city. In giving the project its official launch, the President emphasised its strategic significance for the capital's digital transformation. The integration of urban services into a unified AI platform enables real-time management, significantly enhancing public safety and the efficiency of city infrastructure.

During the visit, the Head of State participated in the launch of educational initiatives. At the President's instruction, Tomorrow School — a school of artificial intelligence — was established in 2024 at the Astana Hub campus in Astana, and is now being scaled across the country. Via a video link, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev launched the Tomorrow School network in 14 regions of the country.

Tomorrow School is implemented by the Alem.ai Foundation within the Astana Hub and alem.ai ecosystem, on the basis of the international 01 Edu platform. Education is entirely free of charge and accessible to all citizens aged 18 and over, including those taking their first steps in IT. The peer-to-peer model underpinning the school fosters independence, team accountability, and practical skills relevant to the digital economy. To date, 21,618 applications have been submitted, 12 selection rounds have been held, and 418 students are already enrolled in the main course in Astana. Campuses are currently being prepared for launch in the Pavlodar, Akmola, Kostanay, West Kazakhstan, Turkestan, East Kazakhstan, North Kazakhstan, Karaganda, Atyrau, Aktobe, Kyzylorda, and Zhambyl regions, Abai Region, and the city of Shymkent. By the end of the year, the project will be operating in every region of the country.

During the visit, the President also opened the TUMO Astana Centre for Creative Technologies, which is aimed at teenagers aged 12 to 18 and brings together 11 areas of study — from generative artificial intelligence and programming to animation, robotics, 3D modelling, game development, web development, filmmaking, and digital music. The project is developing a generation of creators who, by the time they finish school, will already have a portfolio of completed digital products. The alem.ai centre has already begun teaching 1,300 children.

The logical continuation of this educational vertical will be the creation of the AI Research University. The university's concept was presented by Kazakhstan's Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek. The university will be based at alem.ai, and students will have access to the national AI infrastructure, including alem.cloud, AlemLLM, and Astana Hub resources. Classes are scheduled to begin on 1 September 2026.

During the event, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev presented awards to the winners of the national AI competition alem.ai battle. The competition brought together schoolchildren, students, startups, and researchers from across Kazakhstan, creating conditions for the sequential development of AI projects — from initial prototypes to mature technology solutions. A total of 827 applications were submitted and 20 teams reached the final. Winners were determined across four categories: AI Young Talents — SuGuard, a non-invasive blood glucose monitoring system; AI Driving Power — Ustaz AI, a solution for automating teachers' workflows; AI Innovators — Robio, an AI-powered diagnostic glove for the early detection of changes and determination of tumour parameters; and AI Future Builders — NCSpeech, a service for collecting and generating high-quality datasets for training AI models.

The Head of State presented awards to the winners of the AI Governance Cup competition among government agencies across six categories: "AI Azamattarğa Qyzmet", "AI Ekonomika", "AI Áleumettik Sayasat", "AI Qauipsizdik", "AI Öñir", and "AI KvaziSektor". Approximately 200 applications were submitted to the competition in total. Project evaluation was carried out with the participation of international AI experts, including Kai-Fu Lee and Peter Norvig. The initiative creates an ecosystem for the exchange of best practices, enabling successful cases to be replicated across the country and building a sustainable ecosystem in which advanced technologies serve the interests of every citizen.

During the visit, the first practical case of a crypto payment in Kazakhstan was also demonstrated: for the first time in the country, an official transaction for the purchase of goods using cryptocurrency was carried out via the CryptoPay payment system. This case was implemented within the regulatory sandbox of the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan and marked an important step in testing innovative financial solutions in a controlled and secure environment.

At the close of the visit, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev launched the countdown to the international "Games of the Future - Astana 2026" tournament and signed a commemorative plaque at alem.ai. The centre itself will open its doors to the general public on 28 April 2026. This space will serve as an open platform where every citizen can see how the President's initiatives in the field of artificial intelligence and digitalisation are being translated into real infrastructure, new knowledge, modern services, and opportunities for Kazakhstan's future.

Floor-by-floor reference: alem.ai combines public, educational, entrepreneurial, research, and governmental functions within a single space. The ground floor is a publicly accessible space and the face of alem.ai. It is designed to introduce a broad audience to artificial intelligence, the Astana Hub ecosystem, and opportunities for development in the technology sector.