Uzbekistan, together with the United Arab Emirates, has launched the “Five Million Artificial Intelligence Leaders” project. As President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized, this is not just a program but “a new horizon of opportunities for young people,” according to his press service.
The president noted that artificial intelligence is no longer a narrow tool but a fundamental force permeating the economy, public administration, and everyday life.
Uzbekistan has made AI development a priority. The first step in transforming the sector was the adoption of a National AI Strategy based on leading international experience.
The share of the digital economy in the country’s GDP has doubled, while direct investments in AI and IT have reached nearly $2 billion. Over the past few years, exports of related services have grown 4.5 times, approaching $1 billion. The newly established International Digital Technology Center, built on English law, is expected to further accelerate growth.
The number of universities training IT specialists has tripled; today, about 80,000 students study across 145 institutions.
A strong result was also demonstrated by the joint UAE–Uzbekistan program “One Million Coders.” Since its launch in 2019, more than 2 million young people have completed training. Through the El-Yurt Umidi Foundation, around 100 talented students have continued their education at leading global universities.
The innovation ecosystem of startups is expanding rapidly—the number of startups has increased tenfold, with total investments reaching $300 million.
Citing foreign experts, the president said that AI technologies could generate $10 billion in added value for Uzbekistan’s economy within the next five years. The country’s current conditions and potential make such growth feasible.
Uzbekistan aims to increase IT service exports to $5 billion by 2030 and create thousands of high-paying jobs for young professionals.
Significant measures are underway to train qualified personnel. Next year, together with Nvidia, Uzbekistan will launch a major supercomputer cluster to support the AI ecosystem. Courses on artificial intelligence will appear in school curricula and in Kelajak Centers across all regions.
Mirziyoyev also announced the start of an annual presidential AI competition for schoolchildren. Each year, 100 of the most talented young people will be selected nationwide and sent for internships at leading IT companies in the United States, the UAE, and Europe. A similar system will later be introduced in universities.
A total of $100 million will be allocated for these initiatives.
“Our strategic goal is to transform Uzbekistan not only into a consumer of modern technologies but into a country that creates them, exports them, and competes successfully on the global market,” Mirziyoyev stated.
He added that Uzbekistan plans to open a National Technology Transfer Office in Silicon Valley, which will connect young specialists and startup founders from the country with major companies, investors, and accelerators.
