Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan’s economy is expected to grow by 7.9% in 2026, the highest rate among countries in the Europe and Central Asia region, according to the World Bank’s report “Making AI Work: Jobs, Firms, and Productivity.”
The bank forecasts overall GDP growth in Central Asia at 5.8% in 2026, compared with an average of 2.2% for the Europe and Central Asia region. For Uzbekistan, the World Bank expects growth to slow to 7.5% in 2027 and 7.1% in 2028, following growth of 7.7% in 2025.
Remittances remain an important driver of domestic consumption. Russia accounts for around 70% of remittances to Uzbekistan, with their volume reaching a record US$9.2 billion in the first half of 2026, up 13%.
Uzbekistan continues to attract significant foreign direct investment (FDI), supported by major projects in energy, digital infrastructure and industry.
Foreign-financed investment, including FDI and loans, already accounts for more than 70% of total investment in the country. Lending to non-financial organisations in Central Asia grew by more than 12% in real terms.
Uzbekistan’s budget deficit is projected at 2.2% of GDP in 2026, virtually unchanged from the previous year, as higher social and investment spending is offset by lower energy subsidies, reduced directed lending to state-owned enterprises and increased revenues.
The report’s authors also note that Uzbekistan processes construction permits in less than two weeks, while connection to the electricity grid takes around two weeks. Both indicators are among the best practices in the region.
A separate section of the report focuses on the adoption of artificial intelligence in Uzbekistan’s labour market.
According to data from the March 2026 Listening to Uzbekistan survey, clerical workers are the most exposed to AI-driven automation, with around 80% having a medium or high level of exposure.
At the same time, actual AI use in the workplace is most common among professionals (48%) and managers (43%), while the rate among clerical workers is only 27%, despite their high exposure to automation.
