BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 17. A strong digital
public infrastructure is the foundation for the development of
artificial intelligence, and Azerbaijan has made significant
progress in this direction over the past five years, Sameddin
Asadov, Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport of
Azerbaijan, said during the 14th Private Sector Forum of the
Islamic Development Bank Group, Trend's correspondent reports from the
event.


"The question is no longer whether countries should implement
artificial intelligence, but how to do it practically, inclusively,
safely, and with economic benefits. In Azerbaijan, artificial
intelligence is viewed as an integral part of digital
transformation and the transition to an economy based on knowledge
and innovation. This direction is anchored in the Concept of
Digital Development, the Strategy on Artificial Intelligence for
2025–2028, and the Action Plan for Accelerating Digital Development
for 2026–2028. The foundation of artificial intelligence
development is a strong digital public infrastructure. Over the
past five years, Azerbaijan has made real progress in this
direction. The mygov mobile platform provides citizens and
businesses with hundreds of government digital services through a
single application," he said.


Asadov announced that the SİMA digital identification and
electronic signature platform is already used by more than half of
Azerbaijan's population in both the public and private sectors.


"Within the Online Azerbaijan project, broadband internet has
been deployed across the entire territory of the country.
Azerbaijan became one of the first countries in the region to
completely abandon copper infrastructure, and the first country in
the region where broadband connectivity is available to every
household and residential settlement. These platforms form the
bedrock for the further implementation of artificial intelligence.
AI brings real value only when it relies on reliable data, secure
digital identification, compatible systems, and citizen-oriented
services," the deputy minister noted.







Asadov stated that concrete steps are being taken in the country
to develop the national artificial intelligence ecosystem,
including the creation of the National AI Center, the expansion of
AI services in the public sector, and the launch of a regulatory
sandbox for artificial intelligence.


According to the deputy minister, the goal of these initiatives
is to build national capacity in the implementation and responsible
use of artificial intelligence.