Kazakhstan is rapidly advancing its digital agenda. While domestic AI start-ups are earning millions of dollars from exports, a “lazy brain” crisis is brewing in school classrooms. The problem lies not in the technologies themselves, but in what we delegate to algorithms: routine work or the ability to think.

Why AI has become a threat in schools

For today’s students, neural networks have become the perfect way to game the system. According to informal surveys among high school teachers, up to 70% of homework assignments in the humanities are now generated by AI. However, this “digital crutch” fails at the most critical moment when the algorithm is unavailable.

“This is a major problem in Kazakhstan, especially for school students, because they completely substitute their own work with artificial intelligence when doing homework, and then receive poor grades on summative  assessments,” says Venera Baizhigit, founder of GSC Study and co-founder of Stiker.ai.

According to her, academic performance during the semester may appear normal, but this is merely an illusion of knowledge.

“In education today, artificial intelligence is more of a harm than a help, because schools do not explain how to use it properly,” Venera Baizhigit noted.

Moreover, the expert predicts that within the next 10 - 20 years the role of teachers will be completely transformed.

“In the future, artificial intelligence will even replace teachers. There will be only one teacher-moderator left, while every child will already have a mentor,” she said.

Analytics: degradation or evolution?

Global statistics show that uncontrolled use of AI reduces critical thinking indicators by 25% within just one year of continuous use. In Kazakhstan, the situation is further complicated by the fact that plagiarism detection systems do not always accurately recognize AI-generated texts in the Kazakh language. This creates a dangerous “zone of impunity.”

While universities in the US and Europe are introducing mandatory AI literacy courses that teach students to fact-check neural networks, Kazakh schoolchildren use AI as the ultimate authority. This leads to the phenomenon of “hallucinations,” when AI invents historical facts or formulas, and students, lacking a solid foundation, accept them as truth.

Why mathematics cannot replace empathy

If for students AI poses a risk of losing the ability to think, for business and professional development it is a powerful analytical tool. But even here, experts draw a clear line: intelligence can structure data, but it cannot create meaning.

“Artificial intelligence becomes a tool for humans, because it can never fully replace the human side - empathy. It has neither a soul nor a brain,” explained  Aigerim Nurgali, CEO of Striker.ai.

She emphasized that AI is simply mathematics, and even in the most advanced systems, the final answer and responsibility must remain with humans. That is why in professional environments AI takes over routine tasks, but not the deeper, personal work.

Startups and a female perspective on technology

Where a student sees a “cheat sheet,” an entrepreneur sees an opportunity to create. Kazakhstan has already become a leader in Central Asia’s IT ecosystem. According to reports, Kazakhstan’s IT services exports exceeded $500 million in 2025. Much of this success belongs to those who understand that technology only works when paired with a human understanding of market “pain points.”

“Women without technical education will be at the top, because they understand client logic - something AI will never be able to explain,” said Aigerim Nurgali.

In her view, the Astana hub ecosystem, through programs such as AIpreneurs, has proven that it is not necessary to know how to code to create products that generate millions of dollars in export revenue. What matters more is empathy and the ability to validate ideas with real market money.

The responsibility filter

The gap between the success of AI startups and students’ failures in exams highlights one simple truth: technology is an amplifier. It amplifies the abilities of those who already know how to think and accelerates the degradation of those who seek shortcuts. The final answer must always come from a human, whether it is a student at a desk or the founder of a technology business. Only by preserving empathy and critical thinking we can turn AI from a digital threat into the foundation of national progress.