AI Joins Samruk-Kazyna’s Board, Marking a Regional First

In a groundbreaking move for Central Asia, the Samruk-Kazyna National Wealth Fund has appointed a neural network to its board of directors. Known as SKAI (Samruk-Kazyna Artificial Intelligence), this AI system, rooted in a local language model, now holds decision-making authority within the fund's governance structure.

Unveiled at the Digital Bridge 2025 forum in Astana, SKAI is touted as the region's pioneering AI-enabled board member. It is designed to enhance decision-making by analyzing historical board decisions, regulations, and corporate documents since 2008. The aim is to boost transparency and governance quality through data-driven insights.

Chairman Nurlan Zhakupov praised the initiative as a significant leap forward, highlighting the integration of technology and human decision-making. "This signifies a shift in leadership philosophy," Zhakupov stated, emphasizing the role of digitalization in modern governance.

Security measures were paramount in developing SKAI, which operates on the Al Farabium supercomputer using NVIDIA hardware. This setup ensures that sensitive data remains within Kazakhstan. As part of the fund's digital transformation plan, SKAI will soon participate in board meetings, reflecting a broader national strategy.

Kazakhstan is pushing forward with its digital transformation agenda, as reaffirmed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. At the Digital Bridge 2025 forum, he reiterated the nation's ambition to become fully digital within three years, emphasizing cooperation in global AI governance.

The country has established a Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, alongside launching an AI Council. New legislation is in the works, including an Artificial Intelligence Law and a Digital Code, to guide ethical AI use across sectors.

Furthering this vision, Kazakhstan plans to open its first AI-focused university and the Alem.ai International Center for Artificial Intelligence. President Tokayev described these as foundational steps for ethical technology advancement in the region.

Since its inception in 2008, Samruk-Kazyna has managed national assets and driven economic reforms in Kazakhstan, with the government as its sole shareholder. The fund's assets stand at approximately $81 billion, under the leadership of Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Chairman Nurlan Zhakupov.