Uzbekistan has launched the development of the Samarkand-2028 satellite, which will be equipped with an artificial intelligence (AI) module. This satellite is designed to monitor the Earth's surface, including air quality, agricultural crops, and forest conditions.
Fergana News says the project was discussed on December 1 at a meeting led by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, which also focused on the role of AI in various sectors. According to the presidential press service, the meeting covered AI applications in ecology, healthcare, education, and transportation.
Technology development in healthcare and education
In addition, the meeting highlighted progress in healthcare, where modern technologies, including AI, are being actively used. Five major projects are underway in Uzbekistan that employ AI to diagnose strokes and breast cancer, reducing diagnostic time by 80% and detecting dangerous conditions at earlier stages.
Mirziyoyev emphasized the importance of expanding AI’s use in diagnostics and instructed to include additional diseases that can be detected using AI technologies. New image analysis systems are planned for implementation at specialized medical centers, enabling rapid and accurate diagnoses of liver, lung, and prostate cancers, as well as heart attacks and complex bone fractures.
Education and training of AI specialists
Special attention was given to training professionals in the field of AI. Starting from the new academic year, AI-focused educational programs will be introduced in schools, technical colleges, and universities. Additionally, plans for the professional development of computer science teachers were announced.
As part of education reforms, a platform based on AI with a virtual assistant for teachers will be implemented. This assistant will help educators create lectures, presentations, tests, lesson plans, and will also oversee examination processes.
AI in transportation and digitalization of government
AI applications were also discussed in the transportation sector, with proposals to implement automatic monitoring of traffic violations and to improve monitoring of railway technical conditions to reduce risks.
President Mirziyoyev was also informed about a program to enhance the qualifications of regional governors' advisors in digital technologies and artificial intelligence. Uzbekistan has already adopted documents to establish infrastructure for the IT sector and prepare specialists.
AI development strategy and supercomputers
A major step forward in this direction was the adoption of an AI development strategy through 2030, the opening of a specialized center under the Ministry of Digital Technologies, and the launch of a supercomputer cluster project in collaboration with the American company Nvidia.
