BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 17. The Ministry of
Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of Kazakhstan has
approved a new version of the Methodology for Building a Smart City
/ Smart Region. The document defines unified approaches to the
transformation of regions based on artificial intelligence and
modern technologies.
The methodology is aimed at moving from individual digital
projects to the creation of a unified intelligent system for
managing territories - AI-Native cities & regions.
For Kazakhstan, this means a gradual expansion of the use of AI
in regional governance. The technologies can be used in various
areas, including transport, infrastructure, utilities, price
monitoring, and the quality of public services.
Data management has a special place in the new model. The
methodology provides for the creation of regional analytical
centers and Data Lakes, which are to become part of the digital
infrastructure of the regions. With up-to-date and high-quality
data, analytical systems and AI tools will be able to identify
patterns, determine potential problems, and use this information in
preparing management decisions.
Unified requirements are particularly relevant for new urban
development projects, such as Alatau City, as they make it possible
to incorporate digital components and data exchange requirements
already at the design stage.
The scaling-up of AI in the regions is based on the broader
centralization of the government IT sector. An important step was
the transition of government agencies to the unified QazTech
development environment, which is expected to reduce the
duplication of software products. In addition, the eGov GPT
intelligent digital assistant launched in April is capable of
independently selecting and arranging public services based on a
textual description of a life situation.
At the same time, digital solutions in specific areas of public
administration are being modernized. The Ministry of Justice,
together with the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital
Development, is developing the E-Notary platform, which is used to
provide notary services electronically.
To facilitate interaction between the government and businesses,
a Digital Business Map is planned to be created. The platform will
bring together government data, digital company profiles,
analytical services, artificial intelligence tools, and processes
for providing government support measures. The integration of the
Business Entities Register with the Unified Personal Account,
systems of the Ministry of Finance, government information systems,
and operators of support measures is envisaged.
Another area will be the digitalization of employment. The
Digital Employment Service is planned to be launched in all regions
of Kazakhstan by the end of 2026. As a result, digital tools are
gradually covering various areas of government operations, creating
a broader database and range of services for the further
application of AI.
To process growing volumes of information, Kazakhstan requires a
powerful computing base. The development of this infrastructure was
commented on in an exclusive interview with Trend by Deemah AlYahya,
Secretary General of the Digital Cooperation Organization
(DCO).
According to her, Kazakhstan is prioritizing AI and new
technologies as part of its national digitalization agenda.
“This policy direction is reinforced by a strong compute
foundation: the country operates two supercomputers and is
advancing a national 'Data Centers Valley' with a planned capacity
of 1 GW, positioning Kazakhstan as one of the region's emerging
hubs for AI-ready infrastructure”, AlYahya said.
The development of such infrastructure creates opportunities to
scale AI solutions beyond individual government services. The Data
Center Valley project in Ekibastuz is being implemented with the
participation of national companies and international partners,
including Firebird AI and NVIDIA.
For the regions, the availability of a common computing base
means the possibility of using more sophisticated data processing
tools without creating separate technological infrastructure for
each project.
Combined with regional analytical centers, Data Lakes, and a
unified digital environment, this creates conditions for the
broader use of AI in territorial management. The technologies can
be used not only in service delivery but also for analyzing
situations, forecasting, and preparing management decisions.
At the same time, the development of AI in the regions will
depend on how effectively these tools are integrated into the
day-to-day operations of akimats. High-quality data and computing
capacity provide the technological foundation, while the practical
impact will be determined by how effectively they help analyze
information faster, identify priorities, and plan the development
of territories.
