Cybercorruption is a relatively new phenomenon that emerged at the intersection of traditional corruption and digital technologies. Unlike conventional bribery in the offline world, cybercorruption manifests through electronic payments, manipulation of online tenders, embezzlement via computer networks, and other digital channels.
According to the United Nations, annual losses to the global economy from corruption reach $2.6 trillion, with a significant portion of these funds flowing through digital channels. In the Republic of Uzbekistan, anti-corruption issues are regulated by Law No. ZRU-419 "On Countering Corruption" of January 3, 2017, while cybersecurity issues are governed by Law No. ZRU-764 "On Cybersecurity" of April 15, 2022, highlighting the importance of these issues at the state level.
As the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted on March 5, 2025, at a meeting of the National Anti-Corruption Council, "corruption is the most serious obstacle to reforms." In recent years, the country has adopted laws and created a new system to combat this vice: responsible committees have been formed in the chambers of parliament, and a National Council and Agency for Countering Corruption have been established.
The digitalization of public services and business processes has opened new opportunities for ensuring transparency and control. In Uzbekistan, as in many countries around the world, the following are being implemented:
- Electronic portals for public services that minimize direct contact between citizens and officials, reducing opportunities for bribe demands;
- Electronic procurement and tender systems where all actions are automatically documented, making it more difficult to implement corruption schemes;
- Blockchain technologies for accounting of state property and registration of property rights, ensuring the immutability of entered data;
- Online portals for complaints and appeals from citizens, which allow for quick responses to possible violations.
According to Article 4 of the Law "On Countering Corruption," "ensuring openness and transparency in the activities of state bodies" is one of the basic principles of anti-corruption, and technologies help implement this principle in practice.
The results of digitalization in Uzbekistan are already impressive. As noted at the meeting of the National Anti-Corruption Council, the adoption of the law on public procurement, digitalization of the election and tender systems, and the establishment of healthy competition made it possible to save UZS 14 trillion of budget funds last year. The number of electronic government services increased 15-fold, reaching 721, and the number of their users exceeded 11mn.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a powerful ally in detecting and preventing corruption due to several key advantages:
AI can analyze vast amounts of information—millions of transactions, documents, contracts—looking for anomalies that a human might miss. For example, AI can detect unusual patterns in government contracts: when the same companies regularly win tenders or when prices significantly deviate from market rates.
Machine learning systems can not only identify existing violations but also predict the likelihood of corruption schemes emerging. They create "risk profiles" for various projects, organizations, or even individual officials, allowing resources to be focused on checking the most vulnerable areas.
AI reduces the "human factor" in conducting audits and inspections. Algorithms operate according to clear rules, are not susceptible to pressure, and do not engage in collusion. This is especially important in light of Article 24 of the Law "On Countering Corruption," which provides for anti-corruption expertise of regulatory legal acts.
Banks and financial institutions have long used AI algorithms to identify suspicious transactions. Similar systems are beginning to be implemented in government structures, for example, to control budget spending. The system automatically flags unusual payments: large transfers made outside working hours, payments to companies created immediately before receiving a government contract, etc.
For instance, today in Uzbekistan, all banks provide consumer loans up to UZS 100mn online within 5 minutes without human involvement. As a result, thousands of bankers who previously processed such applications now work directly in mahallas, offering projects and credit programs, which contributes to the growth of the customer base while simultaneously eliminating potential corruption risks.
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AI can analyze tender conditions for requirements that unreasonably restrict competition. For example, if the tender documentation contains very specific requirements that only one company meets, this may indicate a corruption scheme.
In accordance with recent initiatives of the President of Uzbekistan, a special Expert Commission will be created to prevent corruption in public procurement. Based on best practices, an electronic platform is being developed that will ensure that prices for goods and services purchased through public procurement do not exceed the average market indicators by more than 20%.
Chatbots and virtual assistants provide citizens with information on how to recognize corruption and where to turn when violations are detected. They are available 24/7 and can process appeals in multiple languages, making the complaint filing process more accessible.
Article 14 of the Law "On Cybersecurity" stipulates that state bodies and organizations must implement cybersecurity measures, which includes the introduction of modern AI technologies to ensure the security of digital platforms.
The use of AI requires processing vast amounts of information, which can lead to violations of the right to privacy. It is important to find a balance between the effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts and the protection of citizens' personal data, as provided for in the Laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Cybersecurity" and "On Personal Data."
AI is not immune to errors. Algorithms can "learn" to reproduce existing biases or misinterpret data. The "black box" problem in AI means that sometimes even developers cannot explain why the system reached a certain conclusion.
The development and maintenance of AI systems require highly qualified specialists. According to Article 32 of the Law "On Cybersecurity," state support for cybersecurity entities includes "providing assistance in the training and retraining of personnel in the field of cybersecurity, as well as improving their qualifications."
As the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan noted at the meeting of the National Anti-Corruption Council, law enforcement agencies often focus on identifying and punishing corrupt acts, while preventive measures aimed at eradicating corruption factors are ignored. For effective combating of cybercorruption, a comprehensive approach is needed, including both punitive and preventive measures, including the use of artificial intelligence.
In Estonia, the e-Estonia e-government system uses blockchain to ensure data integrity and prevent corruption. In South Korea, the KONEPS system for public procurement has saved billions of dollars and significantly reduced corruption in this area.
International cooperation is critically important for combating cybercorruption, as digital crimes know no borders. Uzbekistan actively participates in international initiatives, which corresponds to Article 32 of the Law "On Countering Corruption," which provides for international cooperation in combating corruption.
Complete eradication of cybercorruption is likely impossible, but AI technologies can significantly reduce its scale and make corruption schemes more risky and less profitable.
It is necessary to develop unified international standards for the use of AI in fighting corruption and to ensure mutual recognition of the results of investigations conducted using AI. This is especially relevant for Uzbekistan, which, according to the country's leadership plans, aims by 2027 to create conditions for putting forward its candidacy to host the UNCAC (UN Convention against Corruption) conference.
Improving the digital literacy of the population and training specialists in AI and cybersecurity are key conditions for successfully combating cybercorruption. This corresponds to the third chapter of the Law "On Countering Corruption," which provides for education and training in the field of anti-corruption. As the President of Uzbekistan emphasized, it is important to instill ideas of honesty in educational institutions to educate a new generation that is intolerant of corruption.
Technologies give citizens new tools for identifying and proving corrupt actions. Public initiatives, such as platforms for reporting corruption and independent investigations using open data, play an important role in the overall strategy.
As the President of Uzbekistan noted: "If we all join forces, we will definitely achieve significant positive results. That is why community activists, the older generation, intellectuals, writers and poets, workers in the fields of art and culture, entrepreneurs, prominent figures, leaders, deputies and senators – the entire public should become united and view corruption as a 'sore on the body of society'."
Artificial intelligence and modern technologies represent a powerful set of tools in the fight against cybercorruption. They increase transparency, facilitate the detection of violations, and make corruption schemes less viable. However, technologies themselves are not a panacea—they must be part of a comprehensive strategy that includes improving legislation, international cooperation, and active citizen participation.
In the Republic of Uzbekistan, legal foundations have been created for the introduction of modern technologies in the fight against corruption. The Laws "On Countering Corruption" and "On Cybersecurity" provide for the use of information technologies to ensure transparency and prevent corruption offenses.
As Uzbekistan's experience shows, the application of digital technologies is already yielding tangible results. Digitalization has reduced the number of applications in the education system by 2.5 times, thanks to the transfer of more than 10 types of services to electronic format. In the higher education system, automated receipt of 35 types of documents has reduced the number of applications by 2.2 times. And service to the population and entrepreneurs, organized on the principle of a "state serving the people," has led to the emergence of almost 200,000 new entrepreneurs in the market, while the number of enterprises with foreign participation has increased almost 5 times.
Most importantly, thanks to these measures, as noted by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the faith of the population, entrepreneurs, foreign partners, international organizations, and investors in the ongoing reforms has strengthened. Over the past seven years, over $120bn in investments have been attracted, and the country's economy has doubled, reaching $115bn last year.
Every citizen can contribute to the fight against cybercorruption: reporting suspicious activity through official portals, improving their digital literacy, and demanding transparency from government bodies and commercial organizations. Only through the joint efforts of the state, business, and society can we create an environment in which corruption, including in the digital space, becomes unacceptable and ineffective.
As the President of Uzbekistan rightly noted, as a result of active anti-corruption efforts and the introduction of modern technologies, including artificial intelligence, the legal consciousness of the population, especially youth, will increase, and a sense of involvement in the fight against corruption will form in society, which is a key factor for success in creating a transparent and fair society.
By: Islambek Rustambekov
Doctor of Law, Professor
Acting Rector of Tashkent State University of Law
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