Highlighting the accelerating impact of automation on the workforce, Tokayev stressed the strategic need for Kazakhstan to build domestic capacity in AI research and education by leveraging international expertise. “Why does Kazakhstan need a new university specializing in AI? This university will act as a center for science, innovation, education, and global collaboration,” Tokayev said. “The future of Kazakhstan depends on cultivating talent at home as well as connecting with the world,” the president added. Kazakhstan currently educates over 63,000 students in IT-related fields across 79 universities, with AI increasingly embedded in curricula and research initiatives.