Kazakhstan's Latest Supercomputer Signifies Milestone in Self-Reliant National Tech Sphere
In a significant stride towards technological independence and digital growth, Kazakhstan has officially launched its new national supercomputer on July 1, 2025. The supercomputer, boasting a performance capacity of up to 2 exaflops, is the most powerful computing system in Central Asia, making it a strategic asset for the region.
The supercomputer, powered by NVIDIA H200 graphics processors, delivers approximately 2 exaflops of computing power, enabling extensive artificial intelligence (AI) model training, advanced scientific research, and large-scale data processing at unprecedented speeds for the region.
Previously, many Kazakhstan's startups, financial institutions, and research centers relied heavily on foreign cloud providers like Amazon and Google, which posed high costs, data security risks, and capital outflows. The new domestic infrastructure allows these large-scale AI and computational workloads to be handled entirely within Kazakhstan, bolstering national digital sovereignty and reducing dependence on foreign IT resources.
Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry, Zhaslan Madiyev, described the launch as a "strategic leap toward national technological independence." He added that the supercomputer is a cornerstone for accelerating Kazakhstan's AI ecosystem, supporting neural network development, scientific and applied research, and cross-border collaborations. The aim is to strengthen Kazakhstan's role as a regional AI and cloud computing hub across Central Asia and beyond.
The government has created a favorable regulatory environment, including exemptions from customs duties and the ability to offset value-added tax on imported computing infrastructure. This policy has enabled Kazakhstan to import advanced NVIDIA hardware legally and without the need for a special export license.
The national program QazCompute provides access to the supercomputer for startups, universities, research institutions, and government agencies at no cost. Engineers have already completed specialized training programs, and over the next five years, more professionals will be educated to manage and expand high-performance computing operations. Madiyev confirmed that full operational control of the supercomputer will gradually transition to Kazakhstan's specialists.
Other international users will be offered access at standard commercial rates. The supercomputer's resources are accessible not only to select researchers but also to startups, universities, scientific institutions, and businesses integrating AI into their operations, thereby driving widespread innovation and competitiveness across industries.
It is expected to catalyse Kazakhstan’s broader digital transformation efforts, increasing the adoption of AI technologies in key economic sectors and enabling breakthroughs in aerospace, fintech, and other innovation-driven fields. With the introduced domestic infrastructure, sensitive workloads and large-scale AI training can be conducted entirely within Kazakhstan, enhancing digital sovereignty and bolstering the nation's digital economy.
Anticipating stricter regulations coming into effect in May, the Kazakh government moved quickly to design the system, inspect and upgrade its data center facilities, and complete the delivery of the equipment on time. The swift government action, in response to the United States introducing a quota system for high-performance chips in January, has ensured Kazakhstan's technological independence and digital growth.
In conclusion, the new supercomputer represents a major breakthrough in Kazakhstan's technological independence and digital economy, empowering digital innovation and laying the groundwork for a rapidly growing AI-driven economy within Central Asia and the broader region.
The supercomputer, powered by NVIDIA H200 graphics processors, enables extensive artificial intelligence (AI) model training due to its performance capacity of up to 2 exaflops.
This strategic asset for Kazakhstan, being a cornerstone for accelerating its AI ecosystem, supports neural network development, scientific and applied research, and cross-border collaborations, making it a key component in its aim to strengthen Kazakhstan's role as a regional AI and cloud computing hub.
