On October 21, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a videoconference to discuss the accelerated implementation of artificial intelligence technologies in public administration, economic sectors, and the country’s regions.
“Today, humanity is confidently entering a new era of civilization – the era of artificial intelligence. Regardless of the field in which change occurs, those who show persistence, determination, and achieve concrete results first will lead the way,” noted the Head of State.
Last year, the Strategy for the Development of Artificial Intelligence until 2030 was approved in Uzbekistan, and a specialized center was established under the Ministry of Digital Technologies. As a result, within just one year, Uzbekistan rose 17 positions in the international AI Preparedness Index and ranked first in Central Asia.
According to foreign experts, Uzbekistan’s potential in artificial intelligence is estimated at around $10 billion. To transform this potential into real opportunities and secure a competitive position amid the growing global demand for AI, it is essential to focus on three key areas: infrastructure, open data, and personnel training.
Uzbekistan plans to implement 100 artificial intelligence-based projects in healthcare, energy, banking and finance, tax and customs administration, transportation, mining, and agriculture.
In this regard, the need to increase the number of modern supercomputer clusters and data centers was emphasized. This year, $50 million has been allocated for purchasing 16 supercomputers, and this amount will be doubled next year.
To encourage investment in the industry, a preferential regime is being introduced in the Republic of Karakalpakstan. Investors investing more than $100 million in artificial intelligence infrastructure will benefit from an electricity tariff of 5 cents per kilowatt-hour, IT Park incentives, and exemption from customs duties on imported equipment.
In addition, starting next year, satellite internet operators will begin operating to provide remote regions with high-speed connectivity. For five years, they will be exempt from land, property, profit, and value-added taxes.
“For artificial intelligence programs to function effectively, they must first and foremost have a perfect understanding of the Uzbek language,” emphasized the President, pointing to a need to digitize literature, reports, scientific works, and other materials in the Uzbek language.
