Latest news with #Akimat
Channel Post MEA
a day ago
- Business
- Channel Post MEA
Kazakhstan Launches its First National Supercomputer in Strategic Partnership with Presight
The Republic of Kazakhstan has launched its first national supercomputer, developed by the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry, in strategic collaboration with Presight. The supercomputer will serve as a cornerstone for Kazakhstan's AI ecosystem, enabling advanced research, large-scale model training, and secure data infrastructure. The launch ceremony was attended by His Excellency President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, senior government officials, and global technology leaders, marking a pivotal moment in the country's innovation journey. The supercomputer will accelerate Kazakhstan's role as a regional hub for AI and cloud computing, fostering cross-border collaboration across Central Asia, the Middle East, and beyond. It also reinforces the country's commitment to data sovereignty and scientific excellence. Magzhan Kenesbai, Chief Growth Officer, and Maxat Koshumbayev, Country Manager for Kazakhstan , represented Presight at the launch ceremony. While presenting to President Tokayev, Kenesbai emphasised Kazakhstan's readiness to lead in AI development. 'Kazakhstan has all the foundational elements to emerge as a global leader in artificial intelligence, and Presight fully supports President Tokayev's bold vision for digital transformation. This journey is being shaped through close collaboration between the government, local stakeholders, and international partners—advancing critical areas such as energy infrastructure, data centers and compute capacity, chip imports, talent development, and frontier AI models. The launch of the national supercomputer is a key milestone in a broader, strategic agenda to build a digitally empowered nation. Presight is proud to stand alongside Kazakhstan as a trusted partner in this nation-building effort,' said Kenesbai. He also briefed President Tokayev on Presight's latest global initiatives, provided insight on the Stargate UAE project and UAE-US AI Campus, and shared updates on the implementation status of the Astana Smart City project (in partnership with the Akimat), which is currently underway with the construction of a data center, a command center at and the deployment of the AI analytics system. The project features over 60% local suppliers, and Presight Kazakhstan now employs more than 50 specialists, supporting technology transfer, local expertise, and long-term in-country value.
Channel Post MEA
17-02-2025
- Business
- Channel Post MEA
Presight Partners with City of Astana for AI-Powered Smart City Project
Presight has signed a USD $190 million, six-year agreement with the Akimat (municipal government) of the City of Astana to deploy an AI-powered smart city project to digitize urban infrastructure, enhance traffic management, and modernize public services. The Astana smart city project will deliver community-wide benefits from reduced traffic and congestion to faster emergency response times. The AI-powered nation-building project is designed to enhance Astana's liveability, sustainability, citizen services, and digital transformation agenda. It will see the introduction of sensors and IoT-enabled infrastructure to create a digital twin of the city, which will improve liveability, safety and community wellbeing. Kazakhstani companies will be responsible for 60 percent of the total project scope of the smart city project, ensuring that jobs, in-country value creation and investment remains in Kazakhstan. The smart city project closely follows other major announcements for Presight in Kazakhstan. In 2024, the Kazakhstan Ministry of Digital Development, in collaboration with Samruk-Kazyna, the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Kazakhstan, appointed Presight to develop a state-of-the-art AI supercomputer and data center cluster to enable the country's digital transformation initiatives. In 2023, Presight also partnered with Astana Hub, the largest international technology park for IT startups in Central Asia, to power venture financing deals for startups. To complement the Astana smart city project and Presight's other nation-building initiatives in Kazakhstan, Presight today also announced the expansion of its Astana office to better service in-country projects as it grows operations in Kazakhstan and the wider Central Asia region. Thomas Pramotedham, Chief Executive Officer of Presight, commented: 'We congratulate the City of Astana for being a global leader in the adoption of world-leading AI for smart city applications. The Astana smart city project aims to develop an ecosystem powered by AI-driven video analytics, enhancing urban management, traffic optimization, and public safety. By integrating advanced monitoring infrastructure and intelligent vision systems, the initiative will provide real-time insights to improve city operations and situational awareness. 'A key component includes AI-powered traffic management solutions designed to enhance road safety and streamline mobility. Additionally, existing visual data sources will be unified into a real-time digital twin of the city, enabling predictive analytics and faster response times to incidents. This initiative underscores a commitment to leverage AI and data-driven solutions for more efficient, secure, and sustainable urban development.' Through the responsible and ethical implementation of AI-driven solutions, citizens of Astana will experience improved public services, digitized infrastructure, enhanced healthcare access, and safer, more efficient urban environments. Presight is committed to developing AI solutions that enhance communities while upholding privacy and security. This project aligns with the City of Astana's digital transformation goals and ensures AI is used ethically and transparently to deliver tangible benefits to citizens.
