Uzbekistan is making a concerted push to establish itself as a regional hub for artificial intelligence and digital innovation, unveiling an ambitious national strategy focused on expanding its AI ecosystem and digital government capabilities. Unveiled at major AI forums in Tashkent, the plan includes a broad array of initiatives designed to nurture local talent, foster startup activity, and attract global investment.

A cornerstone of the strategy is the development of advanced technological infrastructure, including the acquisition of two AI supercomputer clusters from Nvidia. These clusters, boasting a combined capacity of 1 MW, will serve dual roles: one dedicated to education and research, and the other to support practical applications in digital government, healthcare, banking, and industrial AI projects. Complementing this effort, Uzbekistan is investing $3 million in an AI Center of Excellence leveraging Nvidia technologies, which aims to train educators and offer professional development courses in AI, thereby embedding advanced skills within the country’s academic and professional framework.

Further strengthening its international ties, Uzbekistan will establish a National Transfer Office in Silicon Valley to facilitate technology exchange and collaboration. This office, alongside the introduction of a supercomputing and AI cluster within Uzbekistan, is expected to catalyse innovation and knowledge transfer between global tech centers and domestic stakeholders.

Education and youth engagement form a vital part of the national strategy. The government plans to introduce AI-focused curricula across regional Future Centres to broaden access to AI education from schools to universities. A prominent component of this educational push is the ‘five million AI leaders’ project, targeting the training of five million students, along with teachers and public servants, by 2030. This integration aims to move AI education beyond specialist groups, embedding it within general education and vocational training to cultivate a broad base of AI literacy.

To inspire innovation among young talent, the strategy includes an annual interschool competition to identify promising AI startup ideas. Additionally, a presidential contest will select 100 young participants annually for internships at leading technology firms in the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and Europe. Marking November as ‘AI month for youth’ and establishing the Silk Road AI Forum as a recurring event underline the country’s proactive approach to fostering a vibrant AI community.

Alongside talent development, Uzbekistan is moving to modernise public administration by drastically reducing bureaucracy through AI-driven reforms. Already operational AI platforms facilitate public services with an objective to transition towards a paperless and proactive government model. A dedicated $3 million fund has been set up to reward initiatives that cut bureaucratic inefficiencies, reflecting the government’s ambition to create a modern and humane public administration system.

Uzbekistan’s digital sector has seen encouraging growth, with nearly $2 billion secured in investments for AI and digital projects. Export revenues from IT services have surged, and startup activity has grown substantially, signalling rising global confidence in the country’s technological potential. The government is also collaborating with a Saudi partner to develop a central green data centre, aiming to underpin sustainable digital infrastructure and enhance Uzbekistan’s leadership in regional AI innovation.

This comprehensive national strategy underscores Uzbekistan’s commitment to harnessing AI not only as an economic driver but also as a tool for public service transformation and youth empowerment. By integrating cutting-edge technology, international partnerships, and education reforms, the country is positioning itself as a burgeoning AI hub in Central Asia, with ambitions that could reshape its digital landscape in the coming decade.

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Source: Noah Wire Services