The third International IOAI 2026 Olympiad on Artificial Intelligence has begun in the city of Astana.

The President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, opened the Olympiad. Attending the opening ceremony were the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, Zhaslan Madiyev; the Head of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Roman Sklyar; the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Zhuldys Suleimenova; the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Sayasat Nurbek; Elena Marinova, founder and chairwoman of the IOAI International Council; and Bagdat Musin, head of the Kazakhstan Federation of Sports Programming.

Participants of IOAI 2026, team leaders, observers, and representatives of the international olympiad community gathered for the ceremony. This year's competition brought together nearly 500 participants from 106 countries and territories. Astana has become a meeting place for researchers, engineers, and technology creators of the new generation.

Zhaslan Madiyev, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development

Hosting the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence in Astana at such an unprecedented level is a great pride for us, as our capital has united a record-breaking 106 countries. The personal support and attention given by the Head of State, Kassym-Jomart Kemeluly Tokayev, to the development of the artificial intelligence sector give this event special significance. Thanks to such attention, Kazakhstan is confidently presenting itself as an advanced technological power. The Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development will continue to work systematically to ensure that our talented youth have all the opportunities to realize their boldest ambitions and make dynamic decisions.

IOAI 2026 is taking place in Astana from August 2 to 8. Participants are solving problems in machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing, and other areas of artificial intelligence.

The Olympiad program includes two individual rounds, a team challenge, educational meetings, international debates, and cultural events.

The hosting of the IOAI 2026 competition in Kazakhstan demonstrates its commitment to developing digital education, supporting talented youth, and participating in shaping the global agenda in the field of artificial intelligence.

Source: gov.kz