On May 26, Tajikistan’s Minister of Industry and New Technologies, Sherali Kabir, recently met with delegations from Presight AI (UAE) and Scale AI (USA) — two major players in the artificial intelligence sector valued at US$3.7 billion and US$25 billion respectively, the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of Tajikistan (MoINT) says.
The parties discussed key areas of cooperation under the implementation of Tajikistan’s National Artificial Intelligence Development Strategy, including:
- Launching Presight AI’s pilot computer vision project as part of the “Smart City” initiative in Dushanbe;
- Establishing regional offices for both companies within the upcoming Area AI technopark — the region’s first AI self-regulating hub;
- Creating a GPU cluster and a national cloud data center powered by renewable energy;
- Collaborating with leading Tajik AI companies.
Special emphasis was reportedly placed on workforce training, research collaboration, and the localization of AI solutions from these international firms.
Sherali Kabir expressed Tajikistan’s readiness for strategic partnerships with global technology leaders, highlighting AI as a priority for the country’s sustainable economic development.
Following the meeting, both sides outlined steps to prepare memorandums of understanding and launch joint initiatives by the end of 2025.
These steps are set to open new prospects for Tajikistan’s digital growth and integration into the global technology market.
The Area AI techno park project in Dushanbe aims to boost exports of AI-based software from Tajikistan and increase AI’s contribution to the national GDP to 5% by 2040. Area AI will offer residents various incentives and consist of five zones: 1) AI specialist training; 2) a startup hub for AI applications; 3) fundamental research; 4) a green data center, and 5) a regional AI regulatory coordination center.
It is worth recalling that in 2022, President Emomali Rahmon approved Tajikistan’s National AI Development Strategy through 2040, making the country the first in Central Asia to officially adopt a national AI strategy.
The Ministry of Industry and New Technologies actively promotes Tajikistan’s digital transformation, fostering innovation and the IT sector’s growth. Key projects include the creation of the country’s first IT Park — a center supporting the digital economy.
