How Kazakhstan Can Help Power the U.S. AI Revolution

The recent U.S.–Central Asia (C5+1) Summit in Washington marked a pivot in U.S.–Central Asia relations: technology and artificial intelligence are joining energy and security as central pillars of cooperation. For Washington, sustaining AI growth increasingly depends on secure power, resilient digital networks and diversified supply chains. Investment banks and industry analysts now point to energy supply and cooling capacity as the primary constraint on data-center expansion—gaps that Kazakhstan is well positioned to help fill.

At the summit, Kazakhstan and the United States announced a series of initiatives to deepen cooperation on digital infrastructure and high-performance computing. Highlights include a planned $2 billion regional AI Compute Hub in Kazakhstan developed in partnership with NVIDIA, and memoranda worth more than $1 billion with Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Cisco and Oracle to expand data infrastructure, cloud services and AI solutions. Together, these projects lay the groundwork for a transcontinental partnership to grow trusted compute capacity and diversify where critical computing resources are located.

These developments reflect a shared understanding that the AI revolution depends as much on physical infrastructure—power, cooling and supply chains—as on algorithms and models. Modern AI workloads demand enormous, continuous energy and robust cooling, stretching grids in traditional tech hubs. Kazakhstan offers abundant energy resources, growing renewable generation and suitable sites for energy-reliable data centers that can host intensive AI compute while easing pressure on other markets.

Beyond power, Kazakhstan is a major source of strategic minerals. The country produces more than 40% of the world’s uranium and supplies roughly a quarter of U.S. uranium imports. It also holds significant reserves of copper, lithium, tungsten and rare earth elements—materials essential for servers, semiconductors and the clean-technology supply chains that underpin AI infrastructure. By collaborating on processing, logistics and value-added activity, Kazakhstan and the United States can strengthen critical-mineral security and reduce single-country dependencies.

Kazakhstan is also undergoing a rapid domestic digital transformation. The Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development is expanding national computing capacity, developing ethical frameworks for high-risk AI systems and integrating digital tools across government and industry. The country is building national computing assets, including a supercomputer and a Kazakh-language large language model, which can support local needs and regional services.

Regional connectivity projects add strategic value. The Trans-Caspian Fiber Optic subsea cable, linking Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan across the Caspian Sea, will create a direct route between Central Asia and Europe and provide an alternative, secure path for intercontinental data traffic. For the United States and its partners, such routes increase resilience and diversify pathways for international data exchange.

Global technology companies are already active in the region. Partnerships with Starlink, Amazon Kuiper and Meta are supporting satellite connectivity, cloud deployments and language-specific AI tools for Central Asian users. These collaborations could help establish Kazakhstan as a regional digital hub that bridges Asia and Europe.

U.S. private-sector engagement in Kazakhstan has a long track record—American companies have invested heavily over the past decades—and the focus is shifting from hydrocarbons and logistics toward innovation and knowledge-driven industries. By hosting compute facilities, training AI specialists and integrating into global value chains, Kazakhstan can move beyond being primarily a supplier of raw materials to becoming an active participant in the global digital economy.

For the United States, diversifying compute and mineral supply chains into politically stable, resource-rich partners enhances the resilience of America’s AI ecosystem and strengthens Washington’s influence in shaping international norms on data governance, cybersecurity and responsible AI. For Kazakhstan, these partnerships accelerate economic modernization and build domestic capabilities in advanced technology.

Conclusion: The next phase of U.S.–Central Asia cooperation will be defined not only by pipelines and railways but increasingly by fiber networks, data centers and AI systems. Building that 21st-century digital infrastructure together can yield practical, mutual benefits—supporting U.S. AI ambitions while helping Kazakhstan transition to a technology-driven economy.

Zhaslan Madiyev is deputy prime minister and minister of AI and Digital Development of Kazakhstan.