7 years of digital transformation: How Kazakhstan is building an AI economy

Over the past 7 years, Kazakhstan has progressed from providing individual electronic services to developing its own AI infrastructure. The Head of State, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, has declared 2026 the Year of Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, making these technologies one of the country’s key development priorities.

The most tangible changes have been felt in people’s everyday lives. Today, over 90% of public services are available electronically, and 96% can be accessed via smartphone.

International experts have given high marks to these efforts. In the UN E-Government Development Index, Kazakhstan has risen to 24th place among 193 countries.

People’s habits have also changed alongside public services. Since 2019, the volume of cashless payments has increased approximately 14 fold, reaching 186.3 trln tenge.

Internet access in every village

Connectivity has been the foundation of Kazakhstan’s digital transformation. High-speed internet is now available to 98% of the country’s population, compared with 84% in 2019.

Connection speeds have also increased significantly. Seven years ago, the average speed was approximately 21 Mbps; today, it reaches 88–94 Mbps.

Sovereign Computing Capacity

Developing AI requires substantial computing power. Kazakhstan has established Alem.Cloud, a national supercomputing cluster powered by state-of-the-art NVIDIA graphics processing units (GPUs). The cluster has been included in the TOP500 ranking of the world’s most powerful supercomputers.

Government agencies, researchers and developers have access to this computing infrastructure. It is being used to develop national AI solutions, including a digital assistant for the public service delivery system.

The next step will be the development of a Data Centre Valley, a large-scale cluster of data centres. With a planned capacity of at least one gigawatt, the project is expected to strengthen the country’s digital infrastructure. Agreements for investment in AI and digital infrastructure totalling 10 billion dollars have already been signed.

Legislation for a new era

Kazakhstan was among the first countries in the region to establish a legal framework for the use of AI. In November 2025, the President signed the Law on Artificial Intelligence.

The law establishes principles of transparency and safety, prioritises human well-being and provides for the protection of personal data. Products and services created using AI must now be appropriately labelled, while systems capable of manipulating people are prohibited in the country.

This was followed by the Digital Code, adopted in January 2026. The Code consolidates the rules governing data, digital services and platforms into a unified legal framework.

IT exports and the first unicorn

Kazakhstan’s technology sector is becoming increasingly competitive in international markets. Since 2019, exports of IT services have grown 38-fold, exceeding 1.1 bln dollars.

Astana Hub, the country’s international technology park, has become a key driver of this growth. Over 2,000 companies now operate within the ecosystem, and over the past 5 years, their combined revenue has reached 4.9 billion dollars.

In 2025, Kazakhstan produced its first technology unicorn: Higgsfield.ai, a company valued at more than 1 billion dollars. By 2030, the Government aims to increase IT services exports to 5 billion dollars

Building the Workforce of the Future

Investment in skills and human capital has become a central pillar of Kazakhstan’s digital future. In April 2026, the Alem.ai International Artificial Intelligence Centre opened in Astana, covering an area of 22,000 square metres.

Over  1,000 children are already enrolled in programmes at the centre, while public officials and corporate executives are undertaking AI training. Approximately 200,000 teachers have been granted access to the educational version of ChatGPT. In September 2026, the AI University is scheduled to begin operations.