BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 17. A strong digital public infrastructure is the foundation for the development of artificial intelligence, and Azerbaijan has made significant progress in this direction over the past five years, Sameddin Asadov, Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan, said during the 14th Private Sector Forum of the Islamic Development Bank Group, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
"The question is no longer whether countries should implement artificial intelligence, but how to do it practically, inclusively, safely, and with economic benefits. In Azerbaijan, artificial intelligence is viewed as an integral part of digital transformation and the transition to an economy based on knowledge and innovation. This direction is anchored in the Concept of Digital Development, the Strategy on Artificial Intelligence for 2025–2028, and the Action Plan for Accelerating Digital Development for 2026–2028. The foundation of artificial intelligence development is a strong digital public infrastructure. Over the past five years, Azerbaijan has made real progress in this direction. The mygov mobile platform provides citizens and businesses with hundreds of government digital services through a single application," he said.
Asadov announced that the SİMA digital identification and electronic signature platform is already used by more than half of Azerbaijan's population in both the public and private sectors.
"Within the Online Azerbaijan project, broadband internet has been deployed across the entire territory of the country. Azerbaijan became one of the first countries in the region to completely abandon copper infrastructure, and the first country in the region where broadband connectivity is available to every household and residential settlement. These platforms form the bedrock for the further implementation of artificial intelligence. AI brings real value only when it relies on reliable data, secure digital identification, compatible systems, and citizen-oriented services," the deputy minister noted.
Asadov stated that concrete steps are being taken in the country to develop the national artificial intelligence ecosystem, including the creation of the National AI Center, the expansion of AI services in the public sector, and the launch of a regulatory sandbox for artificial intelligence.
According to the deputy minister, the goal of these initiatives is to build national capacity in the implementation and responsible use of artificial intelligence.
