Open Letter from AI: Why the Document Was Signed and What Awaits Central Asia

Recently, an Open Letter titled "AI Community of Central Asia" was signed: link. The signatories detailed the letter's essence, explained how it could influence AI development in the region, and discussed why this is important for the community.

Doszhan Zhusupov, Founder and CEO of CerebraAI

Nadzima Noyofatova, Deputy Chairman of the AI Council under the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Tajikistan

Shahriyor Khudoyberdiev, Executive Director of the Central Asian Artificial Intelligence Association

About Us

Doszhan. I am the founder and CEO of the CerebraAI project.

Nadzima. I am the Deputy Chairman of the AI Council under the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Tajikistan, and simultaneously the Director of the Executive Office at the A7Sigma holding company and co-founder of epsilon3.ai.

Shahriyor. I am the Executive Director of the Central Asian Artificial Intelligence Association. I also work as a Project Manager at the international company Person Hunters and head the Machine Learning Community Uzbekistan. Our Association focuses on uniting Central Asian countries to develop AI in the region. Specifically, we work in four areas: an AI implementation program across 12 sectors, a program to support Association residents, an education program, and a program to popularize AI.

About the Open AI Letter

Doszhan. I signed the open letter because it aligns with our long-term understanding of technology development and the need to create a favorable environment for innovation.

The main goal of this appeal is to avoid excessive regulation of AI, which could hinder the development of this technology in the region.

The AI industry in Central Asia is in its early stages of development. Essentially, it does not yet exist as a full-fledged industry, and all its representatives could fit into a single office.

Nadzima. I signed the open letter because it reflects our desire to unite the efforts of Central Asian countries to accelerate the development and implementation of responsible AI systems. As Deputy Chairman of the AI Council and Director of the Executive Office at A7Sigma, I see immense potential in creating a regional AI hub that can compete on a global level. The open letter is a call for consolidation, cooperation, and the development of a common approach to AI regulation that will promote innovation rather than hinder it.

The main objectives are to create a unified platform for cooperation among Central Asian countries in the field of AI, promote joint educational programs, research, and data exchange. We aim to develop a regional regulatory alternative to the European Union's AI Act that supports innovation and does not create excessive barriers for startups. Additionally, we propose creating an integrated computing network to accelerate the development and implementation of new AI models, utilizing the region's available energy resources.

Shahriyor. I signed the open letter because I believe in the power of cooperation and coordination between countries to solve common tasks related to the development of artificial intelligence. Central Asia has unique opportunities to create a powerful AI ecosystem, and uniting our efforts will help us quickly build capacity and make the region competitive on the world stage.

Despite the presence of talented specialists and growing interest in technology, significant barriers remain, such as a lack of infrastructure, limited financial resources, and a lack of coordination between countries. However, the region's potential is enormous, and with the right approach, we can achieve significant success.

Regional Cooperation and Regulation

Nadzima. Uniting Central Asian countries to develop AI is important because the region possesses significant resources, including energy, talented specialists, and promising startups. Consolidating efforts will allow us to create an integrated computing network and accelerate the development of AI models necessary for global competitiveness. Furthermore, a unified approach to AI regulation will reduce barriers to cross-border cooperation, strengthen infrastructure for research and development, and ensure the possibility of positioning the region as a global AI hub.

Doszhan. The proposed approach to AI regulation differs from the EU AI Act in that it avoids over-regulation. In Europe, strict constraints have complicated the development and implementation of technologies, whereas we strive for a more balanced regulation that ensures safety without hindering progress.

Shahriyor. The main barriers to cooperation are political and economic fragmentation between countries, the lack of a unified approach to technology regulation, and differences in legislative and regulatory acts. Another important factor is limited access to financial resources and a lack of infrastructure for implementing large-scale projects.

Ethics and Safety

Doszhan. In the medium term, three to five years, artificial intelligence should remain exclusively a tool.

To ensure AI safety, it is necessary to implement mechanisms for explaining its conclusions so that it is possible to understand the basis for decision-making. It is also important to establish "boundaries"—frameworks within which AI can act and make decisions to minimize risks and avoid unpredictable consequences.

Nadzima. Modern AI systems, including zGAN, do not possess self-awareness or feelings—they simply process data and perform tasks they are programmed for. Granting rights to AI at this stage is impractical, as it is merely a tool created to assist humans. It is important to focus on creating effective and safe systems rather than attempting to endow them with rights.

To ensure AI safety, it is necessary to regularly test models before deployment, ensure their transparency and interpretability, eliminate bias, adapt and improve algorithms, comply with current laws and regulations, optimize processes to reduce energy consumption, use green energy, and ensure independent control and safety assessment.

Shahriyor. For AI to be safe, it is necessary to develop strict validation, testing, and monitoring procedures, as well as consider principles of explainability, transparency, and accountability. It is also important to use ethical approaches, such as ensuring fairness and maintaining data privacy.

The Future of AI in Central Asia

Doszhan. Promising areas in AI most relevant to the region include education, medicine, optimization of public administration, anti-corruption control systems, FinTech, national security and border control, industry, robotics, and full automation.

Central Asia can become a competitive player in the global AI market, but within narrow specializations and specific verticals. Developing our own foundational models is unlikely; however, the region can excel in creating computing infrastructure and rapidly adapting technologies. Access to data remains limited, which reduces competitive advantages, but flexibility and speed in implementing innovations can become key strengths.

To attract international investment in AI development in the region, active support for the Open Technology Platform (OTP) and protection of strategically important areas are necessary. Market entry for global companies should be possible only upon fulfillment of investment obligations, which will ensure local development and strengthen the region's position.

Nadzima. The most relevant areas in AI for the region include automating public services to improve efficiency and accessibility, using AI in the financial sector for risk forecasting and improving credit scoring, developing systems for smart management of energy resources, including renewable sources, and creating integrated computing networks based on GPU clusters. Additionally, promising areas include security monitoring systems, big data analysis for agriculture and ecology, and the creation of regional platforms for data exchange and joint research.

Central Asia can become a competitive player in the global AI market by creating integrated AI infrastructure with GPU clusters, developing common regulations that support innovation, and ensuring effective cooperation between countries. Attracting startups, expanding educational programs, and promoting regional solutions to the international market will play a crucial role.

To attract international investment, it is also important to promote the region as a promising market with access to computing power and support for AI initiatives. Active cooperation with international organizations and the organization of specialized events to present local projects and create partnership networks are necessary.

Shahriyor. For Central Asia, promising areas in AI are agrotechnologies, healthcare, financial technologies, and sustainable management of natural resources. These areas correspond to the key needs of the region and can provide significant socio-economic benefits.

To attract international investment, it is necessary to improve the investment climate, create zones for testing and developing innovations, and offer tax incentives for AI startups. It is also important to establish connections with international funds and companies to attract capital and expertise.