Uzbekistan Launches “Five Million AI Leaders” Project

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev participated in the opening ceremony of the international Artificial Intelligence forum held at the Tashkent International Congress Center, marking the launch of the ambitious project “Five Million AI Leaders.”

Before the event, the President reviewed AI projects and startups developed by young specialists in Uzbekistan, emphasizing the strategic importance of information technologies for sustainable development and national competitiveness. He noted that the innovations presented reflect the creation of a modern digital ecosystem and tangible results from ongoing reforms.

In his address, President Mirziyoyev highlighted that in the 21st century, IT and digitalization are key indicators of a country’s progress. AI is no longer a specialized tool but a fundamental factor permeating the economy, public administration, and daily life. He recalled that great historical scientists like Muhammad al-Khwarizmi, Abu Rayhan Beruni, and Mirzo Ulugbek laid the foundations for today’s progress in algorithms, mathematics, and logic, and stressed that Uzbekistan, as heir to this legacy, must harness new technologies for national development.

The President noted that Uzbekistan’s first step in AI transformation was adopting a National Strategy based on leading international practices. As a result, the share of the digital economy in GDP has doubled, foreign direct investment in AI and digital technologies reached nearly US$2 billion, and IT service exports have grown 4.5 times to almost US$1 billion.

The country now has 145 universities offering IT programs and over 80,000 IT students. Initiatives like “One Million Programmers” have trained over two million young people, with top talents studying abroad and returning to drive digital innovation in education, the economy, and governance.

AI is actively applied in healthcare, with digital diagnostic systems enabling precise results for over 50,000 patients, reducing service times by 5–7 times. In Karakalpakstan, 70% of mammography scans were analyzed by local AI platforms, with 98% confirmed by doctors, shortening diagnosis from several days to two hours.

Uzbekistan’s startup ecosystem has expanded tenfold, attracting US$300 million in investments. The President called on international organizations and leading global companies to collaborate in Uzbekistan, noting that AI could generate at least US$10 billion in additional economic value over the next five years. By 2030, the goal is to increase IT service exports to US$5 billion and create thousands of high-income jobs for young specialists.

In 2026, a supercomputer cluster will be launched in partnership with Nvidia, and a National Technology Transfer Office will open in Silicon Valley, facilitating direct engagement of Uzbek startups with leading companies, investors, and accelerators. Youth will receive AI training in schools and “Kelajak” centers nationwide. National competitions for best AI startup ideas will be held annually, with winning schools establishing AI labs and commercializing innovations in collaboration with companies.

A Presidential AI Competition will select 100 top young specialists each year for internships at leading technology companies in the US, UAE, and Europe. The initiative will extend to universities, with US$100 million allocated for implementation.

The “Five Million AI Leaders” project, launched jointly with the UAE and building on the “One Million Programmers” program, aims to train 4.75 million students, 150,000 teachers, and 100,000 civil servants by 2030. AI education will be integrated across school, vocational, and higher education, driving economic growth and innovation.

President Mirziyoyev also awarded the title “Honored Athlete of Uzbekistan” to chess Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov, emphasizing the role of youth talent for the nation’s future. He proposed declaring November as the “Month of Artificial Intelligence for Youth” and holding the “Silk Road AI Forum” annually. The forum’s opening marked the official start of the “Five Million AI Leaders” initiative in Uzbekistan.