Rustem Mustafin, Head of the Center for Digital Social Sciences at the Institute of Philosophy, Political Science and Religious Studies (IPhPR)

Kazakhstan entered the industrial era primarily as a raw-material supplier, and this specialization largely persisted after 1991. Today, artificial intelligence offers a rare opportunity to change this trajectory. In his 2025 Address, the President set the goal of transforming Kazakhstan into a fully digital country within three years.

Over the past year, the global technology race has accelerated dramatically. According to the Stanford AI Index 2026, global corporate investment in AI reached $581.7 billion in 2025, while private investment amounted to $344.7 billion, with $285.9 billion of that coming from the United States. By comparison, Kazakhstan’s GDP in 2025 was approximately $306 billion. These are economically different indicators, but the comparison illustrates the scale of the current race.

There is little point for Kazakhstan to compete directly with the United States or China. However, a relatively small country has another advantage: the ability to coordinate reforms more quickly, establish common standards, and integrate digital systems.

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