The Year of the Horse — the Year of AI
SDG-4 What could be better than slowly reading a newspaper, sipping coffee, and enjoying the smell of fresh ink? That is why I first read the interview published in Turkistan online and then, with particular pleasure, went through the freshly printed paper edition, still rich with the scent of ink.
Working in the fields of science and higher education, we paid special attention to the issues of digitalization and the adaptation of science and education to artificial intelligence technologies. The key messages voiced in this regard were carefully noted.
Kazakhstan must become a digital power. Today, nearly five thousand companies in China are engaged in artificial intelligence development. In Kazakhstan, by 2025, the total export of IT services has approached one billion US dollars. A pilot digital assets zone, CryptoCity, is being established, and construction has begun on the rapidly developing Alatau City.
In November, the Law “On Artificial Intelligence” was signed and is set to come into force soon. The Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development has been established. Two supercomputers — Alem.Cloud and Al-Farabium — have been launched. The Astana city administration, in cooperation with a leading company from the United Arab Emirates, has developed its own digital platform.
Systematic efforts are underway to train professional personnel. Relevant educational programs are being implemented in schools and universities. More than 650,000 students have completed training under the AI-Sana program. Plans are also in place to open a specialized research university focused on artificial intelligence.
The President’s initiatives to actively integrate AI into various sectors are being vigorously implemented at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University as well. The Al-Farabium supercomputer has been launched here, and for the first time in the country, a Faculty of Artificial Intelligence has been established. AI-related courses are being rapidly integrated into academic programs.
Notably, the Faculty of Journalism has launched Kazakhstan’s first educational program titled “Artificial Intelligence in Media”, along with the country’s first “AI and Media” research laboratory.
The nation’s first student newspaper created with the help of artificial intelligence was also produced at our journalism faculty. Moreover, the first PhD dissertation in Kazakhstan devoted to artificial intelligence in media was defended here.
It is also worth noting that the country’s first cross-media television project addressing AI issues in science was implemented at our faculty. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that the television program, filmed at the Marat Barmankulov Student TV Studio, is simultaneously published in digital formats — on Instagram and on the website of the Alatau Aqparat media holding. A true example of convergent media. The project is hosted by fourth-year student Aigerim Yesimkhan.
Thus, at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, the Year of the Horse has truly begun as the Year of Artificial Intelligence.
