The Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan, Sherzod Shermatov, met with a delegation from China's Ant Group in Shanghai. The delegation was headed by Harry Qian, the company's Director of Innovation and International Business Solutions.
The Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan, Sherzod Shermatov, met with a delegation from China's Ant Group in Shanghai. The delegation was headed by Harry Qian, the company's Director of Innovation and International Business Solutions.
The parties discussed potential interaction in areas such as artificial intelligence, data centers, digital infrastructure, financial technologies, and the implementation of advanced digital solutions. These negotiations took place on the sidelines of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), which was attended by the Uzbek delegation.
Representatives of Ant Group presented their strategy in the field of artificial intelligence, designating AI as one of the most important long-term priorities. The company stated its use of the most cost-effective AI models to solve a wide range of tasks. Furthermore, Ant Group demonstrated its developments in healthcare, e-commerce, and financial services, as well as deepfake detection technologies, digital identification systems, cloud services, and AI agents. Company representatives emphasized that they view artificial intelligence as a tool that enhances human capabilities, rather than replacing them.
For his part, Shermatov provided an overview of the development of the artificial intelligence ecosystem in Uzbekistan, as well as plans to increase computing power and create modern data center infrastructure. He highlighted the country's competitive electricity tariffs, the opportunities for using renewable energy sources, and the favorable conditions for hosting modern data centers. The Minister invited Ant Group to consider participating in the development of Uzbekistan's AI infrastructure and to use Tashkent as a platform for the company's regional office. Representatives of the Chinese firm expressed readiness to study the possibilities of phased expansion of their activities in the region.
At the end of the meeting, Shermatov invited Harry Qian to attend the ICT Week Uzbekistan event, scheduled for September of this year.
As part of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference held in Shanghai, China, Minister of Digital Technologies Sherzod Shermatov held a meeting with the management of one of the world's leading technology companies—Alibaba Cloud.
The negotiations covered topics such as artificial intelligence, cloud technologies, Data Centers, the development of modern digital infrastructure, and the training of highly qualified IT specialists.
Representatives from Alibaba Cloud shared information about the company's latest developments in artificial intelligence, advanced AI models, cloud services, and experience in implementing these technologies across various aspects of life. They highly appreciated the potential of Uzbekistan's youth, the rapidly developing digital market, and the reforms being implemented in the country to advance artificial intelligence.
Sherzod Shermatov emphasized the growing number of local companies utilizing open-source models and artificial intelligence technologies from Alibaba Cloud in Uzbekistan. He noted that it is crucial to develop human capital, improve the qualifications of local specialists, and expand practical cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence.
Information was also provided regarding the favorable investment environment for developing data centers in Uzbekistan, including infrastructure opportunities based on 'green' energy.
The parties discussed the phased development of artificial intelligence infrastructure in the country, expanding the capabilities of modern AI platforms for local programmers and enterprises, and training a new generation of specialists in collaboration with the engineering teams of UZINFOCOM and UNICON-SOFT.
Particular attention was paid to forming engineering teams capable of developing and implementing AI-based solutions in vital sectors such as healthcare and education. Furthermore, the agenda included strengthening partnerships with higher educational institutions and creating AI solutions tailored to the needs of government agencies and businesses.
Following the meeting, it was planned to advance projects to the practical stage under the coordination of the Artificial Intelligence Development Center, launch cooperation between technical teams, and demonstrate initial results during ICT Week Uzbekistan, which will take place in September of this year. Further expansion of cooperation on implementing artificial intelligence agents and practical AI solutions in various sectors of the economy was also discussed.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, Bakhtiyor Saidov, met on July 6 with Salim bin Mohammed Al-Malik, Director General of the Islamic Organization for Education, Science and Culture (ISESCO), who arrived in the country to participate in the opening ceremony of the First International Forum of Islamic Civilization.
During the negotiations, the parties reviewed practical issues concerning the further development of constructive dialogue and increasing cooperation between Uzbekistan and ISESCO in the fields of science, education, culture, and tourism.
Particular attention was paid to the implementation of the Action Plan, which establishes priority areas of interaction and provides for joint projects in the near future. The parties also expressed satisfaction with the current level of cooperation and confirmed their interest in further strengthening partnership relations in key areas of interaction.
