The Plenary Session of the International Scientific and Practical Conference “AIU 2026: Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation — A Vector for the Development of Youth Science” was held at the Presidential Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The event was dedicated to Science Day in Kazakhstan and took place as part of the "Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence," as declared by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
The conference was co-organized by the Presidential Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Astana International University (AIU), Beijing Language and Culture University (China), and the Kyrgyz State Technical University named after I. Razzakov (Kyrgyzstan).
The event brought together approximately 100 young scientists, leading experts, practitioners, and students from Kazakhstan and abroad. Kuanysh Serpaiuly served as the moderator of the plenary session, effectively guiding the discussion and coordinating the contributions of the keynote speakers.
The primary goal of the conference was to discuss the integration of AI into various fields of knowledge, ranging from pedagogy and law to natural sciences and design. Participants presented innovative ideas aimed at forming a pool of solutions for the country’s digital development.
“Today, AI has permeated almost all spheres of human activity—including manufacturing, trade, banking, public administration, science, education, medicine, and finance—becoming an integral part of our daily lives. It is no wonder that leading world powers and multinational corporations like Google, Meta, Baidu, and Alibaba have joined the global race for AI development. The advancement of artificial intelligence is an objective process and a natural result of scientific and technological progress. However, it is vital to remember that AI is, above all, a child of the human mind, reflecting both its virtues and flaws. Therefore, it depends on us how we raise and guide it. Scientists must undoubtedly play the leading role in this process. Following global trends, Kazakhstan attaches great importance to the development of artificial intelligence. At the President's request, the AI Development Concept for 2024-2029 has been approved, the Law 'On Artificial Intelligence' was adopted, and a dedicated committee was established. Furthermore, AI specialist training programs have been introduced in universities. The current year, 2026, has been officially declared the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence,” noted Bakytzhan Temirbolat, Director of the Presidential Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Anar Myrzagaliyeva, Rector of Astana International University, emphasized the success of the meeting: “Today’s international conference has fully achieved its goal. The speakers provided a comprehensive analysis of the main trend of our time—digital transformation and the potential of AI. All seven presented reports were distinguished by their novelty. The fresh ideas and meaningful discussions were highly appreciated by the participants.”
The discussion platform featured prominent speakers, including:
Madiyar Abilov, Deputy Chairman of "QazInnovations";
Xia Mengyao, Doctor of Management, Jiangsu Ocean University (China);
Kuandyk Zhailashev, Director at "National Information Technologies" JSC;
Umut Omurzakova, Associate Professor, Kyrgyz State Technical University (Kyrgyzstan);
Muhammad Nurazlan Abd Aziz, Deputy Director at Sultan Idris Education University (Malaysia);
Firuz Boboev, Representative of the Constitutional Court of Tajikistan;
Vasily Desnitsky, Senior Researcher at the St. Petersburg Federal Research Center of the RAS;
Elhadj Benkhelifa, Professor of Computer Science and Digital Innovation, Staffordshire University;
Rakhat Yerezhepov, 1st-year PhD student at Astana International University.
A collection of scientific papers will be published based on the results of the conference.
The second day of the conference, featuring breakout sessions, roundtables, and workshops, will continue on April 23, 2026, at Astana International University.