Uzbekistan set to draft AI regulations

TASHKENT. Aug 14 (Interfax) - Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has called for drafting regulations on artificial intelligence and a strategy for introducing AI technologies at a meeting on the development of information technologies in Uzbekistan.

"First and foremost, we need to draft regulations on artificial intelligence," Uzbek media quoted Mirziyoyev as saying.

He set the task of drafting a strategy for introducing artificial intelligence and a two-year project plan, and establishing the AI Technology Center, media said.

The need for broader use of artificial intelligence in banking, finance, taxation, customs, healthcare and agriculture was underlined at the meeting.

Currently, four higher educational establishments in Uzbekistan train AI personnel, while the country needs 600 big data and large language model specialists. The number will grow several times over in the coming years, media said. "Therefore, the importance of training specialists to meet the demand of industry was underlined," media said.

Mirziyoyev said it was time to create broad opportunities for venture investment to finance start-ups, and ordered that a start-up eco-system be developed and venture capital financing mechanisms be introduced.