Kazakhstan is rapidly establishing itself as one of the world’s fastest-growing artificial intelligence hubs, outperforming neighboring countries in both AI adoption and digital innovation.

Kazakhstan has become the clear leader among Central Asian countries and Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states in the use of AI technologies and services, The Caspian Post reports via Kazinform.

The findings come from Microsoft’s Global AI Diffusion ranking, which measures the share of people aged 15 to 64 actively using AI-powered services. The ranking highlights not only the popularity of AI tools, but also the strength of a country’s digital infrastructure, technological accessibility, and overall AI ecosystem.

In the first quarter of 2026, Kazakhstan ranked 70th globally out of 147 countries, posting an AI adoption rate of 15.9% - far ahead of regional peers. By comparison, Belarus recorded 9.6%, Kyrgyzstan and Russia each stood at 9.5%, Uzbekistan reached 7.2%, while Tajikistan and Turkmenistan both registered 6.1%.

Kazakhstan also led the region in growth, with AI adoption rising by 2.2 percentage points compared to the second half of 2025. Russia followed with 1.5 percentage points, while Kyrgyzstan and Belarus recorded smaller increases.

On the global stage, Kazakhstan is also emerging as one of the fastest-expanding AI markets worldwide. The country entered the top 10 globally for growth in AI service users, with the number of users jumping by 25.6% in just a few months.

The surge reflects Kazakhstan’s broader push to develop a strong domestic AI ecosystem and position itself as a regional technology leader. While generative AI continues to spread rapidly across the globe, Kazakhstan is not simply following international trends - it is increasingly shaping its own digital future.

Earlier, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed creating an AI platform dedicated to the history and culture of Turkic peoples, signaling the country’s ambition to integrate advanced technologies into education, culture, and regional cooperation.