Aiming to establish itself as a leader in artificial intelligence (AI) technology development, Tajikistan sets its sights on becoming a significant AI hub.
Tajikistan's Minister of Industry and Innovation, Sherali Kabir, has made a bold assertion that the Central Asian nation will ascend to global prominence in artificial intelligence (AI) and microchip development. This declaration was made amidst the existing state of Tajikistan's IT sector and educational base, hinting at an optimistic vision for the future.
In a recent address to journalists in Dushanbe, Kabir expressed confidence that Tajikistan will spearhead the fifth industrial revolution. He attributed this prediction to the country's possession of essential elements, rare earths, and minerals crucial for the IT industry, as well as the purported interest of leading Western entities such as Nvidia and OpenAI in forging partnerships with Tajikistan.
However, questions have arisen regarding the feasibility of Kabir's prediction, with concerns about the government's capacity to actualize such ambitious goals. Tajikistan has consistently ranked among the world's most corrupt political and economic systems. Moreover, the country currently lacks an established IT infrastructure, and Dushanbe has yet to establish a track record of innovation.
A recent report, the World Intellectual Property Indicators 2024, revealed that not a single patent application was filed in Tajikistan in 2023. Similarly, a World Bank brief asserted that the Tajik education system faces substantial shortcomings, with numerous firms identifying an inadequately educated workforce as a significant hurdle to meeting local and regional market demands.
The educational system's limitations extend beyond elementary school to higher education, with a World Bank assessment indicating that only 55 percent of second-graders and 41 percent of fourth-graders are meeting minimum reading standards. Furthermore, the assessment reported subpar learning outcomes in the early grades.
While Tajikistan's ambitions for AI leadership seem ambitious given the current circumstances, the country has taken steps towards IT development. Projects focusing on creating multimodal foundation models integrating various AI technologies like computer vision, natural language processing, and machine learning are underway. Moreover, the government's plans to introduce 5G technologies will boost data transfer speeds and enhance digital services. These advancements align with the global trend of AI adoption and the United Nations Development Programme's emphasis on leveraging AI to enhance human capacities and choices. However, the country must address challenges such as talent retention and infrastructure development to remain competitive in the global AI landscape.
- The Minister's assertion about Tajikistan's AI and microchip development supremacy may need to address concerns relating to the nation's unfavorable business environment, characterized by corruption and weak IT infrastructure.
- As Tajikistan aims to improve its education system to meet the demands of the tech-driven world, the lack of patent applications and subpar learning outcomes in primary education could hinder its progress in AI development and technology adoption.
- Turning the education system's limitations into strengths by improving the quality of education, especially at a basic level, and addressing issues like talent retention and infrastructure development, will be crucial for Tajikistan to seize opportunities in the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence and maintain a competitive edge in the global technology environment.
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