On Thursday, the fifth Eurasian Economic Forum opened in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, to explore the role of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) in promoting sustainable economic development.
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The two-day forum, themed “The Eurasian Economic Union in the Global Digital Race: Betting on Artificial Intelligence,” focuses on AI application in customs regulation, transport and logistics, industrial production and product quality control.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov addressed the forum’s plenary session.
Russia, with such advantages as scientific expertise, qualified personnel, strong educational institutions, and energy resources necessary for large-scale AI infrastructure, is one of the few countries capable of creating sovereign AI platforms, said Putin, adding that the country is prepared for upcoming changes and will use them to accelerate economic growth.
Tokayev said analyses estimate that AI could contribute an additional US$7 trillion to global gross domestic product in the coming years, while around 40 percent of jobs worldwide may be affected by AI technologies.
Calling the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) an important participant in the world economy, he called on the union’s member states to coordinate efforts, bridge the digital divide, seize the historic opportunities brought by AI, so as to strengthen their positions in the future global landscape.
Founded in 2015, the EAEU comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. Kazakhstan holds its rotating chairmanship in 2026. The Forum is an important platform under the EAEU framework for discussing regional integration and expanding trade and economic cooperation.
