The international forum once again brought together the leading technology companies of the country, as well as anyone who has ever contemplated the digital transformation of Kazakhstan. The main topic of discussion at Digital Almaty 2025 was the integration of AI into industries such as manufacturing, finance, medicine, education, and ESG, along with new opportunities for digital transformation.
One of the most anticipated events of the international forum Digital Almaty 2025 was the panel session titled “From Connectivity to Intelligence: Telecommunications as the Foundation of the AI Industry,” which gathered all the top executives from the country's operators and the relevant ministry. The future development of the internet undoubtedly interests everyone, so the session attracted attention from both business representatives and technology companies. The discussion focused on issues related to telecommunications infrastructure, the implementation of 5G, and artificial intelligence. All of these are key components for the digitalization of all sectors of the economy.
The panel session at Digital Almaty 2025 demonstrated that successful digital transformation in Kazakhstan is impossible without close collaboration between telecommunications technologies and artificial intelligence. Speakers noted that for the full implementation of AI across various sectors of the economy, a combination of advanced telecommunications solutions, such as 5G , with cloud and computing services is necessary. Thus, 5 G becomes the essential environment without which further digitalization of the country is inconceivable. Moreover, 5G is now literally available for just 1 tenge. This offer is provided by Tele2/Altel, as mentioned by the operator's CEO Alexander Babichev in his speech. The CEO of Tele2/Altel highlighted the company’s outstanding results in implementing FWA in the country, which serves as an alternative to wired internet.
“Business is growing rapidly, and here's why: we remember that half of the households in the country do not have access to fixed internet, and a significant portion of those connected are using outdated technologies such as ADSL and XDSL. Our FWA routers with the fastest 5G internet are the solution to this problem. We see how FWA is capturing the market, and there’s a simple explanation for this: a customer who buys our router and uses 5G is far more satisfied with the quality than one who uses an LTE router. Furthermore, we offer a wide range of ways to acquire FWA routers, including various discounts and the option to rent the device for 1 tenge with a trial period of one month,” added Alexander Babichev.
Additionally, the operator, keeping pace with the times and remaining a technological leader in the industry, offers solutions that utilize AI personalization to enhance customer experience, Smart Network for optimizing network construction based on actual demand, and B2B/B2G solutions that employ geo-analysis and predictive models for efficient business operations.
During the discussion on the importance of telecommunications technologies, speakers emphasized that the integration of artificial intelligence and the development of data centers (DCs) are key aspects of Kazakhstan's digital transformation. The speakers also addressed the need to improve the legislative framework to expedite the deployment of base stations. Despite positive dynamics, there are still barriers and limitations in some areas that hinder the acceleration of the country's digitalization process. Only through joint efforts of business and government can the necessary environment for development be ensured.
On the second day of the forum, speakers continued to discuss the main topic – the application of artificial intelligence across various fields. One session was titled “Innovations with AI: New Horizons of Technology.” It gathered representatives from digital companies who clearly understand how AI impacts business operations today. In their presentations, they showcased their own AI application solutions, ranging from information retrieval to enhancing team productivity. According to Stanislav Streltsev, the Director of Data Management and Analytics at Tele2/Altel, it is no longer sufficient to simply add AI to existing products; a different approach is needed, moving away from development methods used five years ago.
“The new reality requires us to think about AI from the very beginning because it is becoming the heart of digital solutions. Programming as an art of instructions is gradually taking a back seat. The future lies in programming intentions, where AI understands, adapts, and acts without rigid constraints,” added the speaker.
Digital Almaty has gathered professionals from the telecom and digital sectors for the seventh time. The plenary session was attended by the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Olzhas Bektenov, as well as heads of government from EAEU countries.
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