Kazakhstan Unveils First Large Language Model, Marking Major AI Milestone

The Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence (ISSAI) at Nazarbayev University has presented Kazakhstan’s first large language model (LLM) to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, marking a significant step in the country’s entry into the global artificial intelligence (AI) landscape.

Based on neural network technology, the project serves as the foundation for the Kazakh version of ChatGPT, The Caspian Post reports, citing Kazakh media.

“KazLLM is the cornerstone on which Kazakhstan’s IT community can build future products and services using domestic innovations,” said Madina Abdrakhmanova, ISSAI’s deputy director for external relations and lead data scientist, in told Kazinform.

She emphasized the critical need for a domestic language model and cited the risks of using free ChatGPT versions.

“Free versions operate on the principle that you pay with your data instead of money. Data is the new gold. Many do not realize the risks, particularly for government agencies. State bodies must use certified applications hosted within Kazakhstan,” said Abdrakhmanova.

Kazakhstan joins countries such as South Korea, China, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and France in developing language models tailored to their cultural and historical contexts.