UN Delegation Visits Kazakhstan's AI Hub to Explore Regional Digital Solutions

A delegation from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) has visited the International Artificial Intelligence Center alem.ai in Almaty. The delegation included representatives from 15 countries across the Asia-Pacific region, including Bangladesh, China, Georgia, India, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, and Turkey.

The visit was part of the activities of a special ESCAP working group focused on establishing a Center for Digital Solutions. It continues discussions initiated in September 2024 at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Digital Inclusion and Transformation. During that conference, an initiative was proposed to form a Regional Center for Digital Solutions in Almaty under ESCAP.

Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Digital Development and Artificial Intelligence of Kazakhstan Zhaslan Madiyev presented the concept of an Exponential Cluster and a comprehensive approach to industry development to the meeting participants. "We are developing artificial intelligence as a unified ecosystem—from an institutional base to computing infrastructure and personnel training," Madiyev stated. "This approach allows us not only to create technologies but also to implement them in the economy, public administration, and social sphere."

During their tour of alem.ai, delegates were introduced to key facilities showcasing Kazakhstan's AI capabilities. The visit began at the Singularity Museum, which traces AI's evolution from 17th-century philosophical ideas to modern neural networks and generative models through interactive exhibits.

The practical application of AI was demonstrated in a Smart City zone featuring solutions for urban infrastructure management, smart mobility, energy systems, and public safety. In an immersive 180-degree AI Cinema theater, delegates viewed content created using technology from Higgsfield AI—Kazakhstan's first tech unicorn.

Other presentations covered GovTech solutions, space industry projects by USTEM Foundation. Humanoid robots and AI-powered robotic systems performed various tasks in real-time demonstrations.

A significant focus was placed on startups from Astana Hub targeting international markets. Showcased initiatives included: Weglobal AI—a platform optimizing work for school psychologists; NCSpeech—a decentralized AI infrastructure for creating high-quality training datasets; AMAN—a service for rapid notification and response to child safety threats; Armeta AI—an intelligent platform automating expert assessment of construction projects; WONK—a unified AI platform for school management with analytics tools.

The visit underscored strong international interest in Kazakhstan's digital development and its potential as a regional hub for cooperation in artificial intelligence.