The world of Artificial Intelligence is moving at breakneck speed, and for developers, entrepreneurs, and scientists in Central Asia, navigating this new landscape is both a challenge and a massive opportunity.
Here at DevsMap, we recently had the privilege of hosting a live Q&A session with Bayan Konirbayev, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Alm.AI and one of the Top 50 AI Science Leaders in Asia Pacific. The conversation was a deep dive into Kazakhstan’s national AI strategy, the practical opportunities available today, and a stark look at the future of our region.
Full video recording is here:
Here are the key takeaways from our discussion.
1. Demystifying Alm.AI: Your Gateway to National AI Resources
A central theme was understanding Alm.AI, the new national AI program. Bayan broke down its complex structure into three core pillars:
Hardware & Environment: The physical offices and campus located in the former EXPO buildings in Astana, providing a central hub for the ecosystem.
Infrastructure: The powerful national supercomputer cluster. This is the computational engine, providing the GPU resources necessary for training and running complex AI models. Alm.AI is currently developing a cloud solution to make access even easier.
The Foundation: Focused on building human capital through two world-class educational programs:
TUMO: For students aged 12-18, focusing on creative and technical skills like 3D modeling and programming.
Tomorow School: For individuals 18 and older, modeled after the renowned French programming school, École 42.
How can you get involved?
Bayan made it clear that access is structured:
For Startups and Businesses: The primary entry point is through Astana Hub. You must apply to their acceleration programs (like AI-Preneurs or Industrial AI) to gain access to Alm.AI’s computational resources.
For University Researchers: Researchers affiliated with a university can apply through their institution to use the supercomputer for academic projects.
For Independent Researchers: Direct access for individuals is not yet available, but Bayan offered a practical alternative: check out Nebius, which offers affordable GPU cloud solutions for as little as $1.50 per hour.
2. The Geopolitical Chessboard: A Balanced Strategy for AI Dominance
One of the most pressing questions was about the region’s direction over the next 3-5 years. Will we align more with Chinese LLMs or Western models?
Bayan’s answer was nuanced and strategic. He predicts that, much like search engines (Google, Yandex, Baidu), LLMs will evolve into specialized, industrial verticals. Alibaba’s models will excel at logistics, Grok at scientific inquiry, and DeepSeek will be rich with Chinese data.
For Kazakhstan and the broader Turkic-speaking region, the strategy is twofold:
Language Sustainability: A key focus is on developing and supporting language models for Kazakh and other Turkic languages (Tatar, Tuvan, etc.). This is not just a cultural priority but a strategic one, as major global models lack deep data in these languages.
A Balanced Approach: Instead of picking a side, the smart move is to maintain a balance, integrating technical innovations from China, Korea, Europe, and the US. This allows the region to leverage the best of all worlds without being locked into a single ecosystem.
3. The Innovation Gap: Why More Funding Isn’t Creating More Results
A critical question was raised: if science funding has grown tenfold, why haven’t the results and innovations followed suit?
Bayan’s diagnosis was blunt: a lack of long-term vision.
He explained that ecosystems like Israel and Singapore thrive because their government and business leaders are skilled at defining the problems of the future. They create R&D programs to solve challenges they anticipate in 2027, not just the problems of today.
“The government entities need to understand what kind of problems they are going to have in 2027… We have a lack of these ‘visioner leaders’ not only on the level of the government but on our C-level in the business part as well.”
This strategic deficit, combined with immature IP laws and a culture that often prioritizes short-term gains, is the primary obstacle to converting research funding into tangible innovation.
4. A Futurist’s Toolkit: Tools and Reading Recommendations
Bayan shared some of the tools and books that keep him at the cutting edge:
Must-Read Book: The Three-Body Problem trilogy by Cixin Liu, a mind-bending sci-fi epic for anyone interested in science and humanity’s future.
AI Development Tools:
GitHub Copilot and Tabnine for coding assistance.
New Relic AI for DevOps integration.
AtomGit: A crucial tip for developers. Bayan recommended this GitHub alternative to understand the Chinese open-source landscape, which has a completely different development philosophy and over 1.3 million contributors.
Bayan’s Final Warning: “AI Is Not For All”
Perhaps the most powerful moment of the stream was Bayan’s closing thought. He urged everyone to stop underestimating the seismic shift AI is bringing.
“In the next 10 years, the gap between smart and stupid people will increase… AI, in my opinion, is not for all. AI is for limited people, and if you will not be able to understand the whole position, you will not be able to use it. It’s just so simple.”
This is a wake-up call. The future will be defined by a massive gap between those who can leverage AI and those who cannot. The wave of AI-driven unemployment is not a distant threat; it’s beginning now.
The message for the DevsMap community is clear: the time to learn, adapt, and master these tools is now. The future belongs to those who do.
A huge thank you to Bayan Konirbayev for his time and invaluable insights. Stay tuned to DevsMap for more discussions that shape the future of tech in our region.
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