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    AI in Kazakhstan: the rules, the readiness and where to start

    Last checked: 29 October 2026

    What should a company in Kazakhstan know before starting with AI?

    Kazakhstan has a dedicated Law on Artificial Intelligence, signed on 17 November 2025 and in force since 18 January 2026. It sits alongside the Law on Personal Data and Their Protection, which requires personal data to be stored in Kazakhstan and was amended again in June 2026. A company should check whether its AI system is banned or high risk, label AI-made content, and plan where its data will be stored.

    At a glance

    Kazakhstan at a glance

    Key facts about Kazakhstan
    Data protection lawLaw on Personal Data and Their Protection (2013), in force and amended in 2026
    RegulatorMinistry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development
    AI policyLaw on Artificial Intelligence, in force since 18 January 2026; Digital Qazaqstan strategy to 2029
    Time zoneUTC+5 nationwide (India is 30 minutes ahead)
    CurrencyKZT (Kazakhstani tenge)
    Business languageKazakh and Russian, with English in some sectors

    Why now

    Why Kazakhstan is worth watching

    Each point links to the document it comes from.

    • The Law on Artificial Intelligence came into full force on 18 January 2026, 60 days after it was signed.[1]

    • A presidential decree of 6 January 2026 declared 2026 the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence.[8]

    • The President signed the Digital Code of Kazakhstan on 9 January 2026.[6]

    • The Digital Qazaqstan strategy, reported on 10 June 2026, sets a goal of generative AI literacy for at least 20% of the population by 2029.[7]

    • The same strategy plans an AI Hub whose computing centres are to reach a design capacity of 1 GW.[7]

    • A law signed on 24 June 2026 amended the rules on personal data protection, with most changes starting on 25 August 2026.[4]

    The rules

    The rules that matter for AI

    What each law or policy means when you build or buy an AI system.

    Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan On Artificial Intelligence

    In force2025AI systems are sorted into minimal, medium and high risk. Systems that use manipulation or subliminal influence, exploit age, health or social status, discriminate socially or biometrically, read emotions without consent or break personal data law are banned. Users must be told when goods, works or services are made with AI, and synthetic content needs a machine-readable mark and a clear warning.[1]

    Law On Artificial Intelligence: roles, rights and copyright

    In force2025Owners, holders and users of AI systems share responsibility according to their role, and owners and holders must manage risks. People have a right to be told when automated processing is used and to object. AI-made works get copyright only with a human creative contribution, and training on works is allowed unless the rights holder opts out in machine-readable form.[1]

    Law On Personal Data and Their Protection (No. 94-V, 2013)

    In force2013Collecting and processing personal data needs consent unless an exception applies (article 7). Personal data must be stored in a database located in Kazakhstan (article 12). Transfers abroad are allowed where the other country protects personal data, or in limited cases such as consent (article 16). Automated processing that changes a person's rights needs consent or a legal basis, and objections must be considered within three working days (article 19-1).[3]

    June 2026 amendments on digitalization and personal data protection

    In force2026The President signed this law on 24 June 2026. A law-firm summary says most personal data changes started on 25 August 2026. They sort controllers into small, medium and large by number of data subjects, create a register of personal data security breaches, and require large controllers to notify the authority when they start and stop processing.[4]

    Where AI fits first

    Where AI fits first

    Banking and finance

    Fraud detection and customer service in Kazakh and Russian.

    Credit or account decisions that change a person's rights fall under the rule on automated processing in article 19-1 of the personal data law.[3]

    Oil, gas and industry

    Predictive maintenance and document search across technical records.

    The Digital Qazaqstan strategy names AI and digital twins in oil and gas, construction and agro-industry.[7]

    Retail and marketing

    Product descriptions and generated images for online shops.

    Goods, works and services made with AI must be labelled under the AI law.[1]

    Public services

    Assistants that answer citizen questions and route requests.

    The strategy plans proactive public services and automation of routine administrative work. High-risk systems used to form state information resources face state-level security requirements.[7]

    Your first steps

    Your first steps

    1. List each AI system and check it against the banned practices in the AI law before you build further.
    2. Decide whether each system is minimal, medium or high risk, and write down who is the owner, holder and user.
    3. Add machine-readable marks and clear notices to AI-generated content and to products made with AI.
    4. Confirm that personal data is stored in a database located in Kazakhstan, including when you use a cloud AI service.
    5. Give people a way to object to automated decisions and a process that answers within three working days.
    6. Work out your controller category under the 2026 amendments and set up breach reporting to the authority.
    7. Check whether any training data belongs to rights holders who have opted out.

    AI services for Kazakhstan

    AI consulting and development for teams in Kazakhstan

    We work remotely with companies in Kazakhstan, in your time zone, and keep your data under the rules described above.

    AI agents and automation

    Agents that finish multi-step work across your tools, with people approving what matters.
    Learn more

    Document Q&A (RAG)

    Answers from your own documents, with the source shown for every answer.
    Learn more

    AI governance and data protection

    Policies, review steps and audit trails that fit your local data law.
    Learn more

    Software and cloud engineering

    Web apps, integrations and cloud platforms built around your AI use case.
    Learn more

    How we work with you

    How we work with you

    We work remotely with clients worldwide, in the client's time zone. Kazakhstan is on UTC+5 and India on UTC+5:30, so India is 30 minutes ahead. A 9:00 to 18:00 day in Kazakhstan runs from 9:30 to 18:30 in India, which means the whole working day overlaps.

    Questions

    Common questions about AI in Kazakhstan

    Does Kazakhstan have an AI law?

    Yes. The Law on Artificial Intelligence was signed on 17 November 2025 and has been fully in force since 18 January 2026. It sets risk levels, banned practices and labelling duties.

    Can I use a foreign cloud AI service with customer data?

    Be careful. Article 12 of the personal data law requires personal data to be stored in a database located in Kazakhstan, and article 16 limits transfers abroad. Get local legal advice on how this applies to your setup.

    Do I have to label AI-generated content?

    Yes. The AI law requires users to be told when goods, works or services are made with AI. Synthetic content needs a machine-readable mark and a clear warning.

    Did the Digital Code replace the personal data law?

    We found no sign of that. The Digital Code was signed on 9 January 2026, and personal data rules were amended by a separate law signed on 24 June 2026. We could not read the Code's full text, so check its effect with a lawyer.

    Complimentary tools

    Try these first

    Three complimentary tools from our AI Toolkit that suit a team starting out.

    AI readiness score

    Answer a few questions and see where your team stands, in about five minutes.
    Open the tool

    AI use case triage

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    AI project cost estimator

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    Read next

    Sources

    Sources

    Facts checked on 29 October 2026. Numbers in square brackets above match this list.
    1. [1] Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, 2026-01-18. The Law on Artificial Intelligence has entered into force in Kazakhstan(gov.kz)
      Full title and what we used it for

      The Law on Artificial Intelligence has entered into force in Kazakhstan. Primary ministry release (Russian). Used for entry into force, risk levels, banned practices, labelling, roles, rights and copyright. We could not open the law's text on the Adilet portal, so article numbers for the AI law are not given.

    2. [2] Official website of the President of Kazakhstan, 2025-11-17. The Head of State signed the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan On Artif…(akorda.kz)
      Full title and what we used it for

      The Head of State signed the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan On Artificial Intelligence. Primary. Used for the signing date and the national AI platform.

    3. [3] Republic of Kazakhstan, via zakon.uchet.kz, 2013-05-21. On Personal Data and their Protection, Law No. 94-V(zakon.uchet.kz)
      Full title and what we used it for

      On Personal Data and their Protection, Law No. 94-V. Unofficial English translation of the law on a private legal database, used because the official Adilet portal would not load. Used for articles 7, 12, 16 and 19-1. Check the current official text.

    4. [4] Baker McKenzie, 2026-07-21. Kazakhstan: new amendments to personal data legislation(bakermckenzie.com)
      Full title and what we used it for

      Kazakhstan: new amendments to personal data legislation. Law-firm summary, used for interpretation of the June 2026 amendments: the 25 August 2026 start, controller categories and the breach register.

    5. [5] Official website of the President of Kazakhstan, 2026-06-24. Law on amendments on digitalization, personal data protection, road tra…(akorda.kz)
      Full title and what we used it for

      Law on amendments on digitalization, personal data protection, road traffic and advanced transport technologies signed. Primary. Used to confirm the signing date and title of the June 2026 amending law.

    6. [6] Official website of the President of Kazakhstan, 2026-01-09. The Head of State signed the Digital Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan(akorda.kz)
      Full title and what we used it for

      The Head of State signed the Digital Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Primary. Used for the signing date only; the page does not describe the Code's content.

    7. [7] Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, 2026-06-10. Kazakhstan has adopted the National Strategy Digital Qazaqstan until 20…(gov.kz)
      Full title and what we used it for

      Kazakhstan has adopted the National Strategy Digital Qazaqstan until 2029. Primary ministry release. Used for the AI literacy target, the AI Hub capacity and the sectors named.

    8. [8] Official website of the President of Kazakhstan, 2026-01-06. On declaring the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence(akorda.kz)
      Full title and what we used it for

      On declaring the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. Primary. Decree No. 1151 declaring 2026 the Year of Digitalization and AI.

    9. [9] Official website of the President of Kazakhstan, 2026-10-01. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addresses AI & Digital Bridge-2026 Inte…(akorda.kz)
      Full title and what we used it for

      President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addresses AI & Digital Bridge-2026 International Forum. Primary. Used for the President's call for a risk-based approach that is strict but not excessive.

    This is general information, not legal advice. We could not open the official texts of the AI law, the Digital Code or the June 2026 amendments, so some points rely on government releases and a law-firm summary. Check with a qualified Kazakh lawyer before you act. Facts checked on 29 October 2026.

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