BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 22. As Uzbekistan prepares to host International ICT Week on September 22–25, the country’s recent agreements with South Korean and European technology institutions highlight a broader transformation of its digital policy under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev — from expanding digital government and IT services toward building an artificial intelligence ecosystem.
Digitalization has become a central element of Uzbekistan’s economic reform agenda under Mirziyoyev. The country’s Uzbekistan–2030 Strategy sets a target of increasing IT services and software exports to $5 billion, creating employment for 300,000 young people in the sector and placing Uzbekistan among the world’s top 30 countries in the UN E-Government Development Index.
The policy has increasingly shifted toward artificial intelligence. In October 2024, Uzbekistan adopted its Strategy for the Development of Artificial Intelligence Technologies until 2030, establishing a framework for expanding AI infrastructure, products and human resources.
By August 2026, Mirziyoyev had set further targets for the sector, including increasing the value of AI-based software products and services to $1.5 billion, implementing more than 200 new AI projects and expanding computing infrastructure. Uzbekistan also aims to enter the top 50 countries in the global AI Readiness Index, having risen 25 positions to 62nd.
At the first Central Asia–South Korea summit, Mirziyoyev highlighted the human-capital dimension of the transformation, saying:
“We are facing growing demand for engineering, technological and digital specialists. It is fundamentally important for us that the younger generation becomes part of the modern technological economy, gaining access to advanced knowledge, skills and international experience.”
The president also linked the development of human capital directly to AI, saying:
“The role of our youth is particularly important in the joint development and implementation of artificial intelligence, as well as in creating an integrated technological base and competencies in the region.”
This policy direction is increasingly visible in the country's international technology partnerships.
From digitalization to AI infrastructure
The planned AI Data Hub is emerging as one of the key elements of this transition. Uzbekistan and South Korea’s National Information Society Agency (NIA) recently discussed cooperation on the platform, including the preparation of datasets for training AI models, data infrastructure and digital public services.
The discussions are significant because they focus on the foundations of AI development rather than only its applications. NIA provided around 1.18 billion units of public data through its AI Hub platform in 2025, offering Uzbekistan an example of how large-scale data infrastructure can support AI development.
Uzbekistan is also examining the computing infrastructure required to support AI projects. During recent talks with South Korean telecommunications and digital company KT Corp., officials discussed the possibility of establishing specialized AI data centers, developing computing capacity and conducting joint AI research and development.
The focus on infrastructure is also reflected in Uzbekistan’s domestic plans. In May 2026, Mirziyoyev reviewed proposals to expand data-center capacity and AI infrastructure, while plans also include developing AI laboratories and a computing center equipped with 200 GPUs.
Building an international startup ecosystem
Another increasingly visible part of Uzbekistan’s strategy is the internationalization of its technology startups.
IT Park Uzbekistan has recently expanded cooperation with South Korean organizations including the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development (KISED), SparkLabs and the Global Digital Innovation Network (GDIN).
The IT Park-GDIN partnership is particularly notable. The sides have opened an IT Park liaison office in South Korea’s Pangyo Technovalley to facilitate direct links between Uzbek companies and Korean startups, investors and technology firms.
Three joint ventures and one proof-of-concept project are being prepared under the Korea-Uzbekistan Global PoC Program, with projects expected to launch in January 2027.
The cooperation with KISED could also create a startup exchange and soft-landing mechanism, providing companies with market-entry assistance, mentoring, B2B opportunities and connections with investors. A separate agreement with SparkLabs is expected to launch an acceleration program for Uzbek startups in the fourth quarter of 2026.
These initiatives point to an effort to move beyond simply increasing the number of technology companies in Uzbekistan. The emphasis is increasingly on helping local startups commercialize their products, attract investment and enter foreign markets.
South Korea and Europe as technology partners
South Korea has become an important component of this strategy. More than 700 joint ventures with Korean capital operate in Uzbekistan, while Korean investment in the country has exceeded $8 billion. Recent presidential-level talks also identified information technology, cybersecurity and advanced digital technologies in healthcare among areas for deeper cooperation.
At the same time, Uzbekistan is developing links with European technology ecosystems. Talks with La French Tech have focused on connecting Uzbek and French startup ecosystems, facilitating market access and potentially establishing a stronger institutional presence for the French network in Uzbekistan.
The two tracks — domestic capacity-building and international partnerships — are increasingly interconnected. Uzbekistan is seeking to develop the infrastructure and workforce needed for advanced technologies while giving domestic companies access to foreign capital, expertise and markets.
The next stage
Uzbekistan’s digitalization drive has already produced measurable changes. The gross value added of the digital sector grew by an average 24.8% annually over the past five years, while employment in information and communications increased from 64,300 in 2017 to 108,800, according to the president’s office.
The next challenge is to convert this expansion into higher-value technological activity.
For the government, this means developing not only digital public services and IT exports, but also the underlying data, computing capacity, skills, startups and research capabilities required to build AI products.
International ICT Week comes at a point when these elements are beginning to converge. The recent agreements with Korean and European institutions suggest that Uzbekistan is seeking to make its digital transformation increasingly international, while its policy framework under Mirziyoyev is placing AI at the center of the next stage of technological and economic development.
