Kazakhstan Investment Call: Digital Strategy Focusing on AI and Space Sectors

Kazakhstan is taking a significant step in digital sectors by expanding its resource-based investment agenda to focus on the digital economy and high technology. At the center of the country's economic development strategy are new growth engines, including artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, space technologies, and innovation centers like Alatau City, rather than just resource-based revenues. Presentations at the Foreign Investors Council meeting in July revealed the government's concrete plans for these new areas and its determination to attract international capital. The Astana administration sees building these industries, which will reshape the economic architecture in the coming years, as the next stage of development.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signaled macroeconomic stability by announcing that the country's economy grew by 6.5% in 2025 and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) exceeded $300 billion. According to Tokayev, total foreign direct investments surpassed $150 billion, making Kazakhstan the largest recipient of foreign investment in Central Asia. In line with this positive outlook, the government is focusing on developing digital industries that will shape the economic structure of the region in the coming years. In this context, 2026 was declared the 'Year of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development' in the country, sectoral legislation packages such as the Digital Code and Artificial Intelligence Law were adopted, and the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development was established.

One of the most striking projects of the strategy, 'Data Center Valley', is designed as an infrastructure cluster that will house large-scale computing and data processing facilities. President Tokayev stated that international technology giants like Amazon and G42 have shown interest in this project, emphasizing the strategic importance of such facilities amid rising global demand for computing power. Thanks to its access to energy, logistical advantages, and clear regulations, Kazakhstan aims to become an increasingly attractive destination for international capital. At the same time, the country is inviting investors to establish a joint space ecosystem ranging from spacecraft manufacturing to launch and AI-powered analytics, not limited to satellite infrastructure.

Another pillar of the digital strategy is the 'Alatau City' innovation center near Almaty, positioned as a test bed for digital assets, financial technologies, and autonomous transportation. Planned as one of the first places where driverless vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and tokenized solutions will be tested, administrative services in this city are designed digitally under the 'digital by default' principle. Combining the legacy and expertise from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan plans to unite its logistical superiority with technology by hosting thirteen international transport corridors and carrying a significant portion of railway freight traffic between China and Europe. Astana, which is trying to bring energy, transport routes, and new technology zones into a single integrated offer, thus aims to strengthen its position in global supply chains.