The implementation of artificial intelligence technologies to be elevated to a new level
On October 21, under the chairmanship of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev a meeting was held dedicated to the issues of accelerated implementation of artificial intelligence technologies in the system of public administration, economic sectors and the country’s regions.
Artificial intelligence technologies are more deeply penetrating all spheres of life – from economy to education, healthcare, agriculture and management. If last year it was forecasted that by 2030 the volume of artificial intelligence market in the world economy will reach $15 trillion, then the current estimates indicate that this number will exceed $20 trillion.
- Today the humanity is confidently entering the new era of civilization – the era of artificial intelligence. No matter what field the changes occur in, whoever is the first to show persistence and determination and achieve concrete results will be ahead of the rest, - noted the Head of State.
Uzbekistan has also adopted a separate resolution on the development of artificial intelligence, establishing the legal foundations for the field. In a short period, more than 30 pilot projects have been implemented in areas such as public services, the banking and financial system, public safety, and transportation.
Last year, the Strategy for the Development of Artificial Intelligence until 2030 was approved. A specialized center was established under the Ministry of Digital Technologies. As a result, within one year, Uzbekistan rose 17 positions in the global Artificial Intelligence Readiness Index and took first place in Central Asia.
From now on, deputy ministers and sector heads responsible for digitalization will also be responsible for the development of artificial intelligence. In cities and districts, positions of advisors to khokims on digitalization and artificial intelligence are being introduced. Starting next year, a rating system for assessing the implementation of AI technologies in ministries and regions will be introduced.
According to foreign experts, Uzbekistan’s potential in the field of artificial intelligence amounts to about $10 billion. To turn this potential into real opportunities and secure a competitive position amid growing global demand for AI, special attention must be given to three key areas – infrastructure, open data, and personnel training.
In the fields of healthcare, energy, banking and finance, tax and customs administration, transport, mining, and agriculture, the implementation of 100 artificial intelligence–based projects is planned. For their successful implementation, modern computing capacities and supercomputers are required. However, current resources allow only small-scale projects to be launched.
In this regard, the need to increase the number of modern supercomputer clusters and data centers was emphasized. This year, 50 million dollars have been allocated for the purchase of 16 supercomputers, and next year this amount will be doubled.
To stimulate investment in the sector, a preferential regime is being introduced in the Republic of Karakalpakstan. Investors who allocate more than $100 million to artificial intelligence infrastructure will receive an electricity tariff of 5 cents per kilowatt-hour, as well as IT Park benefits and exemption of imported equipment from customs duties.
In addition, starting next year, satellite internet operators will begin operating to provide high-speed connectivity to remote regions. They will be exempt from land, property, profit, and value-added taxes for five years.
It was noted that data from ministries and agencies are currently stored on different servers and in various formats, which hinders the rapid development of artificial intelligence. In this regard, it was instructed to consolidate 55 databases into a single data center this year and to integrate all information databases next year.
- For artificial intelligence programs to operate effectively, they must, above all, have a perfect understanding of the Uzbek language, - emphasized the President.
The need was highlighted to digitize literature, reports, scientific works, and other materials in the Uzbek language and to create an “Uzbek Language Corpus” so that artificial intelligence can reflect the characteristics of the national culture and values.
The Head of State noted that training specialists in the field of artificial intelligence should begin at the school level. In this regard, starting from the new academic year, topics related to artificial intelligence will be included in the “Informatics” curriculum. For this purpose, a special textbook will be developed in cooperation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
To identify and support youth ideas and projects in the field of artificial intelligence, the “One Million Artificial Intelligence Leaders” program will be expanded. As part of this program, a national competition is being held, and based on its results, the best young specialists, their mentors, and educational institutions will be duly rewarded.
The meeting also outlined measures to establish artificial intelligence laboratories in higher education institutions. An Artificial Intelligence Cluster operating on the “industry–university–partner” principle will be created at the New Uzbekistan University. State grant quotas in the fields of artificial intelligence, fintech, cybersecurity, IT engineering, aerospace, and cloud technologies will be increased by 35 percent.
To increase students’ interest in the implementation of AI, a nationwide competition among university teams will be held in each region. In addition, a contest with a prize fund of $1 million – “Best Startup in the Field of Artificial Intelligence” will be established.
Overall, to unite the efforts of leading companies, foreign experts, compatriots abroad, as well as major state enterprises, banks, and universities, the proposal to establish an Artificial Intelligence Alliance was supported.
