Women to Be Primarily Impacted by Advancements in AI Development

Practical application of artificial intelligence (AI) in business and society was discussed at the international forum 'TECHNOWOMEN CENTRAL ASIA: AI FUTURE', which gathered about a thousand participants in Astana at the Astana International Financial Centre. The forum included masterclasses on the use of AI, which were attended by about 300 women.

This is the first broad discussion that brought together international and Kazakhstani experts from the IT industry, higher education, NGOs, legal scholars and cultural experts. The International Forum "TechnoWomen Central Asia: AI Future" is supported by the National Commission on Women's Affairs and Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the International Telecommunication Union, the Ministry of Digital Development and Aerocomical Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Astana IT University and Astana Hub International Technopark.

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), addressed the participants via video link. "The International Telecommunication Union is focused on creating a platform for everyone involved in AI through our AI for Good programme to promote the development of AI applications in all walks of life, to make these examples available globally, to bring together communities of enthusiastic engineers, developers and to generally direct AI towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals" - said Natalia Mochu, ITU Regional Director for the CIS region. 

"By 2030, according to respected global analysts, IT will become a rank-and-file female profession. Therefore, the country now faces the challenge of promoting digital skills for women, supporting female entrepreneurship in e-commerce and engaging in the AI sector" - Aida Balayeva, Chairperson of the National Commission on Women's Affairs and Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, noted in her message to the participants of the event.

The Forum included pitching of the best projects of 12 girls who completed the Tech Girls programme, implemented with the support of the National Commission on Women's Affairs and Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Astana Hub International Technopark. A robotics competition for girls was also held jointly with the Robotec Centre. The winning team of girls received a grant for training from the UBES School of Engineering and Programming, as well as valuable prizes. 

"By 2030, the contribution of AI to the global economy will be $15.7 trillion," said Askar Zhambakin, Vice-Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry. "The necessary technological infrastructure is being formed in the form of the development of a national AI platform, integrated more than 90 databases. A centre of competence in the field of AI is being created on the basis of the Nazarbayev Centre. Work is underway to create a full-fledged eco-system of the Kazakh language model," Zhambakin said.

"The National Commission on Women's Affairs and Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan promotes the Digitalisation for Women agenda and creates conditions for girls and women to be involved in the digital economy. Under the auspices of the National Commission, a successful project called "IT-Ayel" is being implemented, under which more than 1,000 women have been trained in low-code and low-code programming, learnt how to make websites and mobile applications and improved their digital knowledge. The TechGirls project is now underway, with more than 4,000 girls participating. This project will allow girls to find their place in the digital world and make a career in IT," said Aziza Shuzheyeva, Chairperson of the Board of the NGO "TechnoWomen".

As part of the Forum, the results of the TechnoWomen Leaders 2023 competition were summarised, and the winners announced:

• In the "Digital Empowerment Volunteer" nomination, the winners were: Kinergy Public Foundation for the Technovation Girls project and the National Association of Women Entrepreneurs ASMAR for its contribution to the development of women's entrepreneurship in the regions;
• In the nomination "Women's Digital Education Excellence" won: International Technopark "Astana Hub" for the project "IT Ayel" - training women in low code and low code programming, more than 2000 women participants. The project "Akyil Ayim" from Kyrgyzstan on training more than 600 women in rural areas in digital skills, implemented by TechnoWomen KG.
• Sabira Kulchimbaeva won in the Digital Technology Excellence category with her project Banana mama, which helps women prepare for childbirth through digitalisation.

To support flood-affected regional residents, TechnoWomen launched the Zhalgyz emessin project, which focuses on three tasks - collecting gadgets (modems, tablets, laptops) for schoolchildren so that they can continue their distance learning, launching an online service for psychological and medical assistance, and collecting hygiene products and formula for infant feeding.