27.12.2024

On December 24, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed the presentation of plans to develop artificial intelligence and telecommunications technologies.

The Strategy “Uzbekistan - 2030” sets the task of turning our country into a regional IT hub. As part of this goal, digital technologies are consistently developing: IT parks have been organized in all regions, opportunities for training and work in this field have expanded. Internet access speed and coverage have increased. More than 190 thousand people have been employed.

In recent years, $3 billion of investments have been utilized in the industry. The number of enterprises with the participation of foreign capital increased 8.5 times compared to 2017 and exceeded one thousand. Today, every tenth enterprise in the sphere is an international company. If seven years ago there were only 12 exporting enterprises in the country, this year there are already 650 of them. By the end of the year, the export volume of information technologies and telecommunication services will exceed $900 million.

The application of artificial intelligence in various spheres of life is also expanding. More than 20 projects have already been implemented on the basis of this technology, and another 70 projects have been developed for individual industries and large enterprises. Uzbekistan has risen by 17 positions in the Global AI Readiness Index. 

Continuing the attention paid to this area, on October 14 of this year, the Strategy for the Development of Artificial Intelligence Technologies until 2030 was adopted by the decree of the President of Uzbekistan. It defines measures to increase the share of AI-based software products and services, expand technical infrastructure and improve human resources.

During the meeting the Minister of Digital Technologies presented plans for next year.

In particular, cloud data centers will be launched in Bukhara, Fergana and Tashkent regions. Artificial intelligence laboratories will open at Tashkent University of Information Technologies and Inha University to support startups. Three thousand employees of government agencies, as well as khokims and their deputies, will receive advanced training in this area.

Responsible persons are tasked to increase the number of projects based on artificial intelligence to 100, and the volume of software products and services to $50 million.

The transformation initiated in industry enterprises shows positive results. This year alone, the volume of telecommunication services increased by 16 percent and reached 21 trillion soums. The revenues of “Uzbektelecom” company exceeded 9 trillion soums.

It was noted that next year the company needs to fully digitalize its management system, cut costs, introduce principles of environmental, social and corporate governance, and obtain an international rating.

Changes are also taking place in the “Uzbekistan Post” system. This year, revenues increased 1.4 times and exports grew by 20 percent. The introduction of new services has increased the number of shipments by 50 percent.

According to plans, 1,600 post offices will introduce an e-commerce delivery service next year. A digital sorting center will be opened, which will improve the quality of processing of such goods and postal items. Funds from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will be mobilized to implement these goals.

The new version of the Law “On Telecommunications” will serve as an important basis for the industry. On its basis, a two-year digitalization program will be developed for all sectors and regions.

In particular, it is planned to build 6 thousand new base stations next year. Thirty thousand kilometers of fiber-optic cables will be laid, which will increase the coverage of services up to 98 percent. Measures will be adopted to bring the volume of exports in the sphere up to $1.2 billion.

Another important development in the industry will be the drafting of a law on the International Center for Digital Technologies, created on the initiative of the Head of State. The center, named “Enterprise Uzbekistan”, will introduce the principles of English law, free movement of capital, international standards of labor relations, as well as establish branches of foreign banks.

During the presentation, instructions were given to create a legislative framework in the field of artificial intelligence and develop education in the field of digital technologies.