Turkic World's Digital Shift: IT As Kazakhstan's New Economic Alternative To Resources

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 18. The informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Turkestan, held on 15 May, once again demonstrated that technological integration is playing an increasingly important role in the modern world.

The main topics of the meeting were digital development and artificial intelligence. This is directly linked to the future competitiveness of the region in the context of global technological transformation. For Kazakhstan, this agenda is of strategic importance, as the country seeks to reduce its dependence on a resource-based economy and develop new sources of growth. Notably, 2026 has been declared the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence.

Today, the country's economy still largely relies on the export of oil, gas, and metals; however, the authorities openly acknowledge that in the coming decades, the state's sustainability will depend on its ability to integrate into the digital economy. It is noteworthy that Kazakhstan's IT services exports exceeded $1 billion last year, and the digital sector is gradually becoming one of the fastest-growing areas of the economy.

In his speech, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated that technological progress has become a factor of stability and security in all countries of the world. He emphasized that states that timely adoption of digital technologies will not be left“on the sidelines of progress.”

In this context, Kazakhstan is seeking to position itself as a regional digital hub in Central Asia. The international center Alem has already been opened in Astana, two supercomputers have been launched, and the next stage is expected to be the creation of a“Data Center Valley.” This project is being developed in Ekibastuz in the Pavlodar region, where land plots have already been allocated, a 215 MW substation has been acquired, and basic infrastructure has been established. Kazakhstan is also holding talks with more than 20 hyperscale companies from the United States, China, and India operating in cloud computing, big data, and digital services. The total potential of the project is estimated at up to 1 GW.

In essence, this refers to the creation of the largest regional data storage and processing center, which is expected to attract international digital capital and global technology companies.

At the same time, digitalization for Kazakhstan also means the modernization of the traditional economy. In the oil and gas and mining sectors, technologies enable predictive maintenance of equipment, optimization of logistics for mining machinery, and improved industrial safety. In agriculture, satellite imagery analysis will help forecast yields and use water resources more efficiently, which is especially important for the southern regions of the country.

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