BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 17. The Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of Kazakhstan has approved a new version of the Methodology for Building a Smart City / Smart Region. The document defines unified approaches to the transformation of regions based on artificial intelligence and modern technologies.
The methodology is aimed at moving from individual digital projects to the creation of a unified intelligent system for managing territories - AI-Native cities & regions.
For Kazakhstan, this means a gradual expansion of the use of AI in regional governance. The technologies can be used in various areas, including transport, infrastructure, utilities, price monitoring, and the quality of public services.
Data management has a special place in the new model. The methodology provides for the creation of regional analytical centers and Data Lakes, which are to become part of the digital infrastructure of the regions. With up-to-date and high-quality data, analytical systems and AI tools will be able to identify patterns, determine potential problems, and use this information in preparing management decisions.
Unified requirements are particularly relevant for new urban development projects, such as Alatau City, as they make it possible to incorporate digital components and data exchange requirements already at the design stage.
The scaling-up of AI in the regions is based on the broader centralization of the government IT sector. An important step was the transition of government agencies to the unified QazTech development environment, which is expected to reduce the duplication of software products. In addition, the eGov GPT intelligent digital assistant launched in April is capable of independently selecting and arranging public services based on a textual description of a life situation.
At the same time, digital solutions in specific areas of public administration are being modernized. The Ministry of Justice, together with the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, is developing the E-Notary platform, which is used to provide notary services electronically.
To facilitate interaction between the government and businesses, a Digital Business Map is planned to be created. The platform will bring together government data, digital company profiles, analytical services, artificial intelligence tools, and processes for providing government support measures. The integration of the Business Entities Register with the Unified Personal Account, systems of the Ministry of Finance, government information systems, and operators of support measures is envisaged.
Another area will be the digitalization of employment. The Digital Employment Service is planned to be launched in all regions of Kazakhstan by the end of 2026. As a result, digital tools are gradually covering various areas of government operations, creating a broader database and range of services for the further application of AI.
To process growing volumes of information, Kazakhstan requires a powerful computing base. The development of this infrastructure was commented on in an exclusive interview with Trend by Deemah AlYahya, Secretary General of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO).
According to her, Kazakhstan is prioritizing AI and new technologies as part of its national digitalization agenda.
“This policy direction is reinforced by a strong compute foundation: the country operates two supercomputers and is advancing a national 'Data Centers Valley' with a planned capacity of 1 GW, positioning Kazakhstan as one of the region's emerging hubs for AI-ready infrastructure”, AlYahya said.
The development of such infrastructure creates opportunities to scale AI solutions beyond individual government services. The Data Center Valley project in Ekibastuz is being implemented with the participation of national companies and international partners, including Firebird AI and NVIDIA.
For the regions, the availability of a common computing base means the possibility of using more sophisticated data processing tools without creating separate technological infrastructure for each project.
Combined with regional analytical centers, Data Lakes, and a unified digital environment, this creates conditions for the broader use of AI in territorial management. The technologies can be used not only in service delivery but also for analyzing situations, forecasting, and preparing management decisions.
At the same time, the development of AI in the regions will depend on how effectively these tools are integrated into the day-to-day operations of akimats. High-quality data and computing capacity provide the technological foundation, while the practical impact will be determined by how effectively they help analyze information faster, identify priorities, and plan the development of territories.
