The volume of digital services in Uzbekistan surged by UZS 21 trillion ($1.66bn) in 2024, with expectations to reach UZS 43 trillion ($3.4bn) by year-end, presidential press service reported.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev recently reviewed a presentation focused on the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and startup projects in Uzbekistan. The event stressed the country’s rapid progress in information technologies, which are increasingly being integrated into various sectors.
The sector exported services worth $367mn. The number of IT park residents has grown to over 2,000, with 32,000 young professionals now employed.
The presentation detailed over 100 ongoing digitization projects spanning healthcare, energy, transport, education, agriculture, water management, and construction. AI and digital technologies are becoming integral to these sectors globally, prompting Uzbekistan to launch several related initiatives.
Notable projects include MyID and UzFace, which facilitate remote biometric identification for 10mn users across 70 organizations, banks, e-commerce platforms, and payment systems. The Uzbekkosmos (Uzbekspace) project has also utilized AI to identify around 43,000 instances of illegal underground use and unauthorized construction.
The presentation emphasized the need for a robust legislative framework for AI. A strategy for AI implementation and a two-year project program were outlined, alongside plans to establish a center for AI technologies. Enhancing AI applications in banking and finance, training personnel, and improving skills were highlighted as priorities.
Currently, four universities are engaged in AI training, with a pressing need for 600 specialists in big data and language models—a demand expected to double in the near future. In response, efforts are being made to align training with sector needs.
Reflecting on the role of startups, President Mirziyoyev noted that many leading IT companies began as startups. Last year, Uzbekistan attracted $134mn in venture investments for such projects. The president stressed the importance of creating conducive conditions for venture investments and expanding the startup ecosystem.
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