Development of infrastructure and human resources in artificial intelligence discussed

Today, artificial intelligence is becoming one of the key tools in various sectors, including the economy, education, healthcare, security, and other vital areas. Its application contributes to improving the efficiency of public administration, the rational use of resources, and the quality of services provided to the population.

In recent years, Uzbekistan has been consistently implementing systemic reforms in this field. As a result, the country has risen 17 positions in the international ranking of artificial intelligence use, taking the 70th place among 188 countries and the first in Central Asia.

As the President noted, these achievements are the result of the first steps taken in this direction. However, large-scale work still lies ahead. For this purpose, the Artificial Intelligence Development Strategy 2030 was approved last year, and a dedicated center was established under the Ministry of Digital Technologies.

The presentation included a revision of the priority areas for the sector’s development.

To implement artificial intelligence projects in the economy and social sphere, $50 million has been allocated. A portfolio of 86 projects has been established, encompassing healthcare, education, agriculture, energy, transportation, ecology, and the financial sector. In parallel, work is underway to create a supercomputer cluster that will provide the country with modern computing capacity for the deployment of AI-based solutions.

“To accelerate the development of artificial intelligence, it is essential to study and implement both domestic and international best practices continuously. It is important to establish close cooperation with our compatriots working abroad, as well as with leading experts and representatives of the private sector”, the Head of State emphasized.

During the discussion, it was noted that special attention should be paid to the creation of modern data processing centers and to creating favorable conditions for investors interested in developing AI infrastructure.

The issue of training qualified specialists – a key factor for the successful development of the industry – was also considered separately. It was emphasized that this work should begin at the school level, focusing on improving the qualifications of computer science teachers, updating curricula, and developing a new generation of textbooks.

Several initiatives are being implemented to accelerate the training of specialists in artificial intelligence. Under the national program “One Million Leaders of Artificial Intelligence”, educational platforms aistudy.uz and omp.aistudy.uz have been launched, offering five free online courses. The program aims to train one million young people with modern knowledge and skills in the field of AI by 2027.

To identify and support promising ideas, AI hackathons will be organized across all regions of the country. In particular, the HealthTech AI Hackathon, dedicated to addressing healthcare issues, was successfully held in Nukus. It was emphasized that this experience should be expanded, with similar events organized in the fields of education, water management, the judicial system, and entrepreneurship.

The President supported the proposed plans and instructed further refinement and expansion in the context of accelerating the implementation of artificial intelligence, applying best international practices, and enhancing the human resource potential of the sector.