Pakistan, Kazakhstan explore technology-driven expansion of economic ties

Astana: Pakistan and Kazakhstan are looking to open a new frontier in their bilateral relationship by linking their rapidly developing technology sectors, with artificial intelligence, drones, fintech and digital governance emerging as potential areas for joint ventures, knowledge exchange and new business opportunities.

Kazakhstan Deputy Prime Minister Zhaslan Madiyev said the two countries were already maintaining close engagement and could build on those contacts by bringing their technology companies, institutions and talent closer together.

“We are in close contact with our Pakistani counterparts,” Madiyev said during a meeting with a select group of visiting foreign journalists in Astana.

Madiyev, who is also Kazakhstan’s Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, said technological cooperation could add a new dimension to relations between Islamabad and Astana by creating direct connections between businesses and institutions in both countries.

He said the objective was to move towards practical cooperation in emerging technologies, allowing companies to exchange expertise, identify common interests and develop projects with commercial potential.

According to Madiyev, artificial intelligence was becoming one of the central pillars of Kazakhstan’s digital transformation and could provide a particularly strong basis for international technology partnerships.

He said drones were another promising field, with Kazakhstan working to establish a stronger domestic industry covering drone development, manufacturing and anti-drone systems.

Madiyev said Kazakhstan was keen to exchange technical expertise with international partners as it expanded these capabilities, creating potential space for cooperation with Pakistan.

He also pointed to financial technology and government technology as sectors where the two countries could share experience and establish connections between relevant companies.

The deputy prime minister said stronger links between businesses and institutions could help turn bilateral technology contacts into concrete projects, investment opportunities and commercial partnerships.

Madiyev said Kazakhstan was simultaneously investing in the human capital needed to sustain its technology ambitions, with AI education being introduced across different segments of society.

He said AI programmes for schoolchildren, university students and government employees had reached nearly one million people last year, reflecting a broader national effort to prepare the workforce for an increasingly digital economy.

More than 500 students had also started studying under a new AI-focused university programme launched in September, he said.

Madiyev said Kazakhstan was further developing Alem AI in Astana as an international platform bringing together education, research, startups and technology companies.

The centre offers programmes in areas including generative AI, robotics, computer graphics and creative industries, while also providing space for startup development and technology research, he said.

Around 4,500 children have registered for programmes at Alem AI, which has the capacity to accommodate up to 5,000 students annually, according to the deputy prime minister.

He also highlighted Tomorrow School, a free peer-to-peer AI learning programme operating around the clock and now present in 14 regions of Kazakhstan.

Madiyev described the country’s technology ecosystem as a “big funnel” through which students and researchers could progress towards startups, investors and major technology companies before entering the wider economy.

He said Kazakhstan was seeking to build an environment in which education, research, entrepreneurship and investment reinforced one another and generated new economic opportunities.

The DPM said this expanding ecosystem also provided a foundation for deeper cooperation with international partners, including Pakistan.

He said stronger interaction between Pakistani and Kazakh technology companies could facilitate the exchange of expertise, open new markets and encourage the development of joint initiatives.

Madiyev said the two countries had an opportunity to broaden their relationship beyond conventional areas of cooperation by making technology and innovation an increasingly important part of their economic partnership.

He said Kazakhstan remained ready to work closely with its Pakistani counterparts as both countries explored new opportunities in the rapidly evolving digital economy.