New AI Opportunities in Central Asia

Azerbaijan

Evgenia Bikmurzina, Head of the Innovation Ecosystem Department

Artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud technologies play a key role in the development of all sectors. Over the past two and a half years, there has been a trend toward the development of modern technologies, including artificial intelligence. In Azerbaijan, a law has been introduced requiring the storage of state data on state servers, which promotes the development of national digital resources and limits the influence of foreign platforms. This allows for the consolidation of experience and capabilities to improve the quality of life for citizens. In the country, artificial intelligence is actively being implemented in various fields, including the work of the ministry and the Agency for Digital Development and Innovations.

An AI Lab operates under the ministry, specializing in the training of language models. The Azerbaijani language model plays a key role not only for our country but also for the entire Central Asian region, particularly for Turkic-speaking countries.

It is important to recognize what values and heritage artificial intelligence will transmit if we do not train it on the cultural codes of our peoples. Special attention should be paid to data security and ensuring a safe environment for citizens, especially children, as well as for processing sensitive data, including medical and financial records. In medicine, artificial intelligence is actively used to analyze emergency calls and optimize the operation of this service. We are also working on creating a cybersecurity center that trains specialists to protect citizens' critical data. Regarding innovations, human capital plays a key role, capable of quickly grasping complex topics. The state should support universities and courses, and we allocate 1,000 scholarships and train about 50,000 specialists per year in various professions.

We are an important partner in the Caucasus Ventures venture fund, which invests in startups. Currently, there are about 500 startups in our country, ranging from the idea stage to working models, including scale-ups. Of these, approximately 200–220 have active MVPs, and about 105 new MVPs are formed annually. Notably, 35% of new startups operate in the field of artificial intelligence in various areas, from cybersecurity to animal assistance.

An example of such a startup is VoiceLoft, which processes data from support centers, improving service quality. To develop the startup ecosystem, the state acts as an active activator, supporting universities and providing scholarships to train professionals in various fields. Key areas of development include the digitalization of state services, resource management, the fight against corruption, ensuring transparency in justice, and the development of digital infrastructure. It is important to ensure a safe and ethical environment for the development and use of artificial intelligence.

Tajikistan

Zaytuna Saidullaeva, IT & Tech Consultant / Business Development Partner at ZHIWJ

Tajikistan has adopted a strategy for implementing artificial intelligence, which represents a huge project for us. Artificial technologies often play an important role in the development of the private sector. Private companies always strive to optimize their operations to increase business efficiency and improve services for clients.

Therefore, the company zypl.ai was created, which focuses on implementing artificial intelligence in business processes and helping companies improve their efficiency. However, in Tajikistan, there are still some issues to resolve regarding the implementation of artificial intelligence technologies. This includes improving the qualifications and knowledge of people, as well as attracting investment to improve infrastructure.

After the adoption of the strategy, we received support from the state and realized the importance of viewing everything strategically and understanding the direction of movement. The expert group demonstrated how artificial intelligence would impact the economy and the importance of ensuring security and increasing efficiency. Our modest analyses confirm that investments in the development of artificial intelligence are already yielding results: the quality of work and services is improving, and smart city initiatives are being implemented with smart cameras, facial recognition, and rapid response systems.

In the banking sector, artificial intelligence is widely used, particularly for credit assessment, which reduces the time spent on this process. Since Tajikistan is a relatively small country, technological development proceeds more slowly, but the banking sector is actively implementing artificial intelligence.

However, in education, there is still more ground to cover. In the educational sector, we have a long way to go to achieve the level of artificial intelligence usage.

In the medical sector of our state, artificial intelligence is also beginning to be implemented, but this is limited to administrative functions. We are not yet ready to process sensitive data, such as personal medical information, due to legislation requiring data storage on local servers. A lack of computing power slows down this process. Nevertheless, state support in this area is significant, especially thanks to the Ministry of Industry, which actively promotes the development and implementation of artificial intelligence systems in medicine.

At present, electricity is used efficiently in industries utilizing artificial intelligence elements to optimize data and traffic. However, there is a significant risk when implementing such technologies. It is important to remember that the development of technologies, including artificial intelligence, will continue, and the importance of security and the protection of personal data must be taken into account.

Uzbekistan

Umidzia Ziyanova, CEO of Brivix, Member of the Expert Council of the Fintech Association of Uzbekistan

We are increasingly paying attention to how much time we spend on various services, especially as customers. For example, many years ago, obtaining a loan at a bank took a long time, but today, thanks to new technologies, including artificial intelligence, we can obtain a loan remotely in just a few minutes. This has already been implemented in Uzbekistan. Banks are also actively using chatbots to communicate with customers, allowing for the quick resolution of simple requests, while complex issues are referred to specialists. Thus, chatbots have become an important tool in customer service within the banking sector in Uzbekistan.

As you know, security in the online world plays a decisive role, especially when it comes to financial technologies. We all want to be sure that our financial transactions are secure. In Uzbekistan, biometric identification is already widely used in banks and payment companies, allowing access to a wider range of financial services remotely. Artificial intelligence technologies also play an important role in marketing, for example, by analyzing data on visited websites, which allows for personalized advertising and offers for users. In the field of money transfers, biometric identification technologies enable sending money in just a few seconds. All these innovations are also actively being implemented in the financial sector.

State support plays a key role in the development of technologies, especially in the field of artificial intelligence. In Uzbekistan, the concept for the development of artificial intelligence was already approved in 2021, with a focus on the development of fintech and the banking industry.

Regional cooperation always yields good results. When we exchange experience and knowledge between industries and universities, it contributes to strengthening and expanding the educational base. Courses on artificial intelligence have already been implemented in five universities in Uzbekistan. We are introducing new technologies so that people, future specialists, can use them effectively and move forward. We must not just follow these technologies together, but actively manage them.