Digital Bridge 2025 Forum Opens in Astana
The international technology forum Digital Bridge 2025 has opened in the capital of Kazakhstan, serving for several years as the region’s main platform for discussing digitalization, innovation, and artificial intelligence. This year, the forum has brought together not only leading local experts but also prominent figures of the global high-tech industry. Participants include leaders of the largest IT companies, representatives of international organizations, scientists, and entrepreneurs, highlighting the high status of the event.
Opening the plenary session, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed the participants and emphasized that the world has entered a new era — the era of artificial intelligence. According to him, this technology has already radically changed daily life, and its role will only grow in the future. The President noted that global investment in AI over the past few years has exceeded one trillion dollars, and the projected contribution of AI to the global economy in the next decade could reach seven trillion dollars. These figures confirm that digitalization is no longer just a trend but one of humanity’s main drivers of development.
Tokayev stressed that the use of artificial intelligence must be exclusively peaceful. He reminded that more than thirty years ago Kazakhstan voluntarily gave up nuclear weapons, choosing peace and security. In his opinion, it is equally unacceptable today to use AI for military purposes, cyberattacks, or other actions that threaten international stability. The President reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s readiness to actively participate in the global dialogue on AI governance, including within initiatives under the auspices of the UN.
A significant step in the development of the country’s digital ecosystem is the decision to establish a research university in the field of artificial intelligence. The President stated that the project will be developed by the end of this year, noting that Kazakhstan currently lacks an educational institution dedicated solely to training AI specialists. The new university will fill this gap and become a center of expertise uniting science, education, and business.
In addition, the forum presented the international center Alem.ai, which Tokayev called a “factory of ideas and innovation.” The center will foster the implementation of new technologies and become a key element of the national AI ecosystem. Kazakhstan also plans to launch a second supercomputing cluster, expanding opportunities for data processing and the development of large language models.
The President noted that digitalization must encompass all areas of life, from education and healthcare to public administration. For this purpose, Kazakhstan has created the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, tasked with leading the transformation. According to Tokayev, within three years Kazakhstan must transition to a fully digital governance format, fundamentally changing the relationship between the state and citizens.
Particular attention was paid to issues of fairness and ethics. Tokayev stressed that technologies should serve all of society, not just privileged groups. He emphasized the importance of involving not only engineers and programmers but also philosophers, lawyers, sociologists, and representatives of the humanities in developing the regulatory framework for AI. Such an interdisciplinary approach will help prevent situations where technologies increase inequality or become tools of manipulation.
According to the President, Kazakhstan’s key goal is to build a digital state where every new government service is created in digital form. He noted that data provided once by citizens should not be requested again, and all regulatory acts governing state-society interactions must undergo mandatory digital expertise. This will reduce bureaucratic barriers and increase citizens’ trust in government institutions.
In his speech, Tokayev also proposed renaming the Digital Bridge forum to AI Bridge, stressing that the future is directly tied to the development of artificial intelligence. He said the new focus of the forum will expand international cooperation and create conditions for technologies to serve humanity for good.
The plenary session was the centerpiece of the forum but not the only event. Discussions covered digitalization of education, the use of AI in transport and logistics, and technologies for “smart cities.” Major Kazakh companies such as Freedom Bank, Kazakhtelecom, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, as well as international players like Yandex Qazaqstan and G42 International, presented their projects.
The forum showcased not only Kazakhstan’s ambition to lead in regional digital transformation but also its readiness to engage in dialogue with the global community. Participants noted that Kazakhstan has become a platform for discussing not only technological trends but also fundamental issues of humanity’s future. In this context, Digital Bridge 2025 — or AI Bridge in the future — is designed to unite governments, business, and science in building a fair and secure digital world.
Thus, the forum confirmed that Kazakhstan is making a strategic bet on artificial intelligence and digitalization as key factors for future development. The country faces major work ahead in shaping a legal framework, implementing innovations, and preparing a new generation of specialists. Yet it is already clear that Digital Bridge plays a crucial role in this process, bringing together ideas, technologies, and people in one space.