ASTANA — Kazakhstan must build a digital economy, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in his state-of-the-nation address on Oct. 28, calling for broader use of AI in industry and agriculture, modernized geological exploration and a shift from digital consumption to technology-driven production.
Tokayev said Kazakhstan had begun building infrastructure for its Digital Qazaqstan strategy, including launching two supercomputers, preparing to commission a third by the end of the year, and laying a fiber-optic trunk line across the Caspian Sea. Data centers are also under construction.
However, he acknowledged that the country still had to demonstrate results in digitalization, with the process sometimes reduced to automating existing procedures or purchasing expensive software without a clear understanding of its practical benefits. “We must be realistic in assessing our capabilities and use the best that new technologies can offer for the well-being of our people,” Tokayev said.
He said Kazakhstan had only begun commercializing AI, asset tokenization, blockchain technologies and digital platform ecosystems. The government must develop a program to apply digital technologies across the economy. “Our goal is to build a truly people-centered digital economy,” Tokayev said.
From digital consumption to digital work Tokayev called for a shift in how people use digital technologies, noting that internet access should enable economic activity and employment rather than serve primarily as a space for consumption and entertainment. “In public consciousness, the internet should be perceived not only as a space for consumption and entertainment, but also as a virtual territory for creation and work,” he said.
He said smartphones should become effective working tools rather than expensive distractions. The government is expected to establish a simplified legal regime for digital employment by the end of the year. Tokayev also stressed that access to digital opportunities should not depend on where people live.
“Our citizens, whether living in rural areas or cities, must learn to use smartphones as tools for earning a legitimate income,” he said. To support this goal, the government should combine existing state business support measures with the capabilities of private marketplaces, banks, logistics companies and digital services.
Beyond loans and subsidies, entrepreneurs need additional digital tools to produce and sell goods.