Kazakhstan made significant strides in digital transformation, with 92% of all government services now available online. Furthermore, 85% of these services can be accessed via a mobile phone, according to Bagdat Mussin, the Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry. These figures were announced during an extended meeting of the ministry on February 28.
In a review of the previous year’s achievements, Mussin highlighted the introduction of several new digital services. These include the digitalization of processes such as mortgage applications, real estate transactions, vehicle legalization, and notary services.
Following the successful integration of the Public Service Centers’ and the Interior Ministry’s information systems, there was a nearly nine-fold increase in the amount of fees collected. In terms of IT services exports, there was a 43% increase, amounting to KZT 734 bn ($1.6 mn) in the first 9M 2023. The aim is to increase this figure to $500 mn.
In the telecommunications sector, 169 villages were upgraded to the 4G standard last year, connecting over 80,000 households via optical communication lines. Additionally, 740 base stations operating on the 5G standard were installed in 20 cities.
Plans for the current year include upgrading 400 more villages to the 4G standard and extending optical communication lines to 764 villages. This will result in an additional 100,000 households in 286 villages gaining connectivity.
With the backing of parliament, several legislative initiatives were enacted last year to safeguard personal data. These measures include notifying citizens about data leaks, prohibiting the collection of document copies, and allowing individuals to voluntarily opt out of receiving bank loans.
For 2024, the ministry plans to strengthen control over super administrators’ activities, introduce compulsory cyber insurance for companies holding substantial amounts of personal data, allocate 10-15% of the IT budget for information security, and triple the fines for information security violations.
National AI platform
A database, a supercomputer, and research on developing a large Kazakh language model will be integrated into the National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Platform.
The ministry plans to allocate 15% of vouchers specifically for training AI specialists within the TechOrda program, aiming to attract enthusiasts and startups to this sector. In collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education and Science, AI disciplines are being introduced in three Kazakh universities in partnership with foreign universities.
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