ASTANA — Improving cities, modernizing infrastructure and raising living standards have been recurring priorities in President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state-of-the-nation addresses. His latest address brought these themes together with a renewed push for AI, energy security and technological development, reinforcing priorities he has emphasized throughout his presidency.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivers his state-of-the-nation address on Oct. 28. Photo credit: Akorda. In a comment to The Astana Times, political analyst Rasul Kuspanov of the National Analytical Center at Nazarbayev University said Kazakhstan’s priority at this stage should not necessarily be announcing new projects, but ensuring that existing plans are implemented and translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives across the country.
Kuspanov said the emphasis on digitalization and AI reflected a direction Kazakhstan had pursued for several years. However, he noted that the country’s technological ambitions would depend on whether it could build the infrastructure needed to support them and improve the capacity of its public administration to deliver results.
AI ambitions require energy and infrastructure Tokayev called for Kazakhstan to move beyond consuming digital technologies and develop its own technological capabilities. Rasul Kuspanov of the National Analytical Center at Nazarbayev University “Our goal is to build a truly people-centered digital economy,” he said in his Oct.
28 address. He also acknowledged that digitalization has not always delivered meaningful results, sometimes amounting to the automation of existing procedures or the purchase of 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.
For Kuspanov, one of the central questions is whether Kazakhstan can provide the energy and computing infrastructure required for this transition. The country continues to face electricity shortages, while the expansion of data centers and wider adoption of AI will increase demand for reliable power.
Tokayev set a strategic target of achieving a sustainable electricity surplus by 2029 and said it may be possible to begin construction of the Balkhash nuclear power plant as early as next year. He also called for accelerating the development of additional generating capacity.