Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Leading technology companies, investors and representatives of the artificial intelligence industry will participate in the international AI & Digital Bridge 2026 forum, which will take place in Astana from 1–3 October. The event will be the central gathering of AI MONTH, a large-scale artificial intelligence and technology program running in Kazakhstan from 23 September to 23 October.
Kazakhstan has declared 2026 the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. Through AI MONTH, the country aims to bring together international technology companies, investors, developers, startups, government agencies and the research community.
One of the main participants of AI & Digital Bridge 2026 will be Balaji Srinivasan, founder of Network School, former chief technology officer of Coinbase and general partner at Andreessen Horowitz.
He is also the author of The Network State. Srinivasan participated in the launch of USDC and was among the early investors in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and other crypto projects. Technology companies in his investment portfolio include Alchemy, OpenSea, Perplexity, Polymarket, Replit, StarkWare and DigitalOcean.
Kazakhstan’s AI sector will be represented at the forum by Yerzat Dulat, co-founder and chief technology officer of Higgsfield AI. The company develops an AI platform for creating videos and images. In August 2026, Higgsfield AI raised US$400 million in a Series B round, reaching a valuation of US$5.4 billion.
Confirmed speakers also include Rev Lebaredian, NVIDIA’s vice president of Physical AI Simulation and one of the executives overseeing NVIDIA Omniverse. His work focuses on digital twins, modeling physical worlds and training robotic systems.
Greg Wyler, founder and CEO of E-Space, will also travel to Astana. He previously founded O3b Networks and OneWeb. E-Space is currently developing low-Earth-orbit satellite infrastructure and secure communications networks.
Another participant will be William E. Ford, chairman and CEO of investment firm General Atlantic. The forum program also lists David Ripley, co-CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken.
Organizers say the participation of representatives from such companies reflects Kazakhstan’s broader objectives to develop a technology-driven economy. The country is developing AI infrastructure, training specialists, attracting investment and creating conditions for local technology companies to enter international markets.
AI & Digital Bridge 2026 is expected to cover Physical AI and robotics, investment and venture capital, satellite infrastructure, the use of artificial intelligence in business, startup development, new professions and creative industries.
The forum will form part of the broader AI MONTH program. It will begin on 23 September with HackAlem AI powered by OpenAI. Participants in the hackathon will develop solutions using OpenAI Codex and OpenAI’s technological resources.
The winners will be awarded during AI & Digital Bridge.
Over the years, AI & Digital Bridge has brought together more than 127,000 participants from over 100 countries, 1,500 speakers, 600 startups and 500 investors. In 2026, organizers expect more than 20,000 participants and over 100 technology companies.
On 1 October, a special high-level program will be held with the participation of government and international delegations and representatives of the technology industry. Attendance on that day will be available by special invitation.
On 2–3 October, the forum will be open to visitors with tickets. The program will feature AI, Creative Industries, Talent and GameDev tracks, as well as a technology exhibition, Startup Alley, Astana Hub Battle and other events.
AI MONTH will conclude on 23 October with the Grand Final of the alem.ai battle. The month-long program will therefore combine AI product development, specialist training, startup growth, international investment and engagement with leading technology companies.
AI & Digital Bridge 2026 is financed through sponsorship funds. Freedom Bank, Kaspi.kz and JSC Samruk-Kazyna are the forum’s gold partners, while Halyk Bank is the silver partner. Beeline Kazakhstan is the Transformation Partner, BI Group is the Digital Partner, and Air Astana is the Official Airline Partner.
The forum is organized by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, Astana Hub and the Akimat of Astana.
