Abstract
Artificial intelligence’s influence on society has never been more pronounced. Often described as a new wave of industrial transformation following the internet, AI is reshaping economies, public services, and everyday life worldwide. Positioned at the crossroads of Eurasia, Kazakhstan has set an ambitious goal to leverage AI as a core enabler of a fully digitalized society. In this context, this paper provides a comprehensive, evidence-oriented review of the current state of AI development in Kazakhstan, informed by global trends in expanding AI capabilities, declining deployment costs, rising adoption, and growing emphasis on governance and responsible use. The analysis is aligned with Kazakhstan’s national AI development concept for 2024-2029, which prioritizes data management, infrastructure development, human capital, research and development including language technologies, and regulatory frameworks, and it uses these priorities to structure the evidence and highlight practical pathways for implementation and measurable progress.