NVIDIA CEO calls Kazakhstan first country to pursue ‘AI nation’ status
NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang said that Kazakhstan is the first country he has visited where the president has declared an intention to transform the nation into an «AI nation.» He made the remarks during a fireside chat with Digital Minister Zhaslan Madiev in Astana as part of AI Month.
«I want to congratulate your president and Kazakhstan for declaring Kazakhstan will be an AI nation. It’s incredibly visionary. You should be commended for your foresight and recognizing that this is a global technology reset and what an incredible opportunity it is for Kazakhstan,» Huang said.
According to the NVIDIA chief, AI and robotics will help Kazakhstan develop its economy while enabling its citizens and companies to work more efficiently and explore new fields.
Huang believes ambition is the key to leveraging these technologies.
«The only thing that matters is do you have ambition? If you have ambition then AI and robotics will lift you, they will empower you to do more,» he said.
For example, Huang highlighted several sectors that could benefit from adopting these new technologies. Farmers could expand their operations with robots, scientists could explore new areas with AI assistants and engineers could develop more advanced solutions.
Read also: What you need to know about Kazakhstan’s new $16B AI strategy
He also emphasized that AI should be viewed primarily as a tool that enhances human capabilities — both within specific professions and across entire economic sectors.
Kazakhstan has high expectations for AI development, having established the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development and declared 2026 the «Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence.»
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has also repeatedly said that AI development is a matter of national competitiveness, sovereignty and even «survival» in the new technological era.
