Tokayev explained why successful AI projects do not reach enterprises

Tengrinews.kz — On October 2, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev chaired the third meeting of the Artificial Intelligence Development Council in Astana.
During his speech, the President noted that solving industrial challenges requires building strong teams that unite representatives from the scientific community, technology companies, and the startup ecosystem. He also called for the active use of the AI Challenge mechanism to attract digital nomads and talented youth.

"The format must be adapted to the specifics of each task—from open team selection and problem formulation to testing solutions in real production environments. Teams should have access to necessary data, computing resources, and production infrastructure. At the same time, the client must remain engaged at every stage of the process," the Head of State noted.

He believes that results must be tested under real production conditions. According to the President, industrial projects in AI and DeepTech require significant time and resources, especially in the early stages when technological risks are high and commercial viability is not yet proven.

"The government must help mitigate initial risks and create conditions to attract private capital. Subsequently, promising projects should be developed primarily on a market basis," the Head of State remarked.

According to him, the AI-Sana program should be more closely aligned with real industrial needs so that young talents gain practical experience in economic modernization.
The Government has been tasked with creating a unified mechanism for solving AI application challenges in industry—ranging from selecting the right team to testing and evaluating economic impact.
Photo by the Akorda press service
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also emphasized the importance of creating a clear and optimal mechanism for scaling proven solutions.

"Many promising solutions successfully pass the pilot stage but then get stuck due to additional approvals, re-testing, overly complex procurement procedures, and regulatory restrictions. This delays the economic return for enterprises and limits market opportunities for developers. There must be a clear mechanism for the commercial implementation of effective solutions. There is no need to repeat the full testing cycle at every plant if production conditions are similar," President Tokayev said.

Special attention, according to the President, should be given to domestic solutions that have demonstrated their effectiveness.

"I strongly urge the Government to develop a mechanism to accelerate the transition from successful industrial pilots to commercial implementation and further scaling. We must eliminate unnecessary barriers to implementing solutions with proven economic benefits," said Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed dedicating the next Council meeting to the integration of artificial intelligence into the transport and logistics industry. He believes that the effective use of AI is impossible without access to high-quality industrial data.In his view, while enterprises have accumulated significant volumes of production data, it remains fragmented, varies in quality, and is often unsuitable for use in AI systems.

"At the previous Council meeting, I spoke about the need to transition to a data-driven model and the development of industry databases. This work must now be consistently expanded to industry. We need sectoral industrial data with unified standards for quality, interoperability, and secure use. Domestic researchers and developers must have clear and transparent access to it. At the same time, trade secrets, strategic information, and critical data must remain reliably protected. The Government, together with the business community, must develop common approaches to forming industry databases with a clear focus on their practical use in developing domestic technological solutions," the President instructed.

Photo by the Akorda press service
He emphasized that Kazakhstan has already laid a solid foundation for AI development. The task now is to turn this potential into tangible economic results.

"Artificial intelligence must become a practical tool for the country's industrial development. Kazakhstan has all the necessary potential. This work must be further deepened in sectors of the greatest strategic importance. In this regard, I propose dedicating the next Council meeting to the implementation of AI in the transport and logistics industry. The further transformation of this sector will significantly expand its potential, increase efficiency, and strengthen Kazakhstan's transit capabilities," the Head of State announced.