Ljubljana, June 4, 2026 – Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Slovenia Altay Abibullayev met with Mitja Jermol, Director of the Open Educational Resources and Open Learning Department at the International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) under the auspices of UNESCO, to discuss developing cooperation between our countries, UNESCO, and international institutions working in the field of artificial intelligence, digital transformation, open education, and sustainable development.

The Slovenian side presented the functionality of IRCAI as a Category II Center under the auspices of UNESCO, which was established on the basis of an intergovernmental agreement and approved by the Member States at the UNESCO General Conference. The IRCAI leadership emphasized that Kazakhstan has great potential to consider the possibility of creating the first International Research Center on Artificial Intelligence in Central Asia under the auspices of UNESCO (similar centers operate with the assistance of IRCAI in Saudi Arabia and Morocco), respectively, IRCAI considers Kazakhstan as one of the most promising partners in Central Asia in the field of artificial intelligence and digital transformations.

The Ambassador of Kazakhstan presented information on the goals and objectives of the Astana Hub, Alem AI, the government for citizens, the results of GITEX in Almaty, as well as state policy in the field of artificial intelligence and digital transformation within the framework of the declared «Year of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies».

The International Research Center for Artificial Intelligence praised Kazakhstan's achievements in the widespread implementation of digital government services and its inclusion in the top 30 countries with high levels of AI adoption, according to @OpenAI. Plans were also presented for developing digital infrastructure, constructing new data centers, and implementing the innovative megaproject of Alatau City as a future technology and innovation hub.

Following the negotiations, the Embassy reached an agreement with the Slovenian side to provide methodological and expert support and assistance if Kazakhstan is interested in creating the first International Research Center on Artificial Intelligence in Central Asia under the auspices of UNESCO. The Center also invited Kazakhstan to participate in the international Olympiad on artificial intelligence, which is considered a global platform for the exchange of experience between young AI specialists.

The Slovenian side confirmed its readiness to establish cooperation on issues of artificial intelligence regulation, including the concept of regulatory sandboxes (AI Regulatory Sandbox) applied in EU countries, and to create an international network of regulatory sandboxes under the auspices of UNESCO and the UN, aimed at developing global approaches to regulating artificial intelligence.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-ljubljana/press/news/details/1235279?lang=ru