On 17 August, the Graduate School of Business and Entrepreneurship with the participation of World Bank experts hosted a seminar presenting the findings of research on promising areas for the development of digital technologies in Uzbekistan and on the country's integration into the global infrastructure for training AI models. The seminar, held jointly with World Bank experts, brought together officials from ministries and agencies, as well as representatives of IT companies and research organisations.

L. Bujoreanu, Lead Digital Development Specialist at the World Bank, presented an analytical review of the current state and development prospects of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in Central Asia, with particular focus on Uzbekistan, where active measures are being taken to build a regional AI ecosystem. The review noted the existing gap with advanced economies in AI adoption, as well as a shortage of digital skills, despite the rapid growth of the IT sector and its export performance.

Particular attention was devoted to the World Bank's strategic initiatives and projects in Uzbekistan, notably the Digital_Inclusion project. The project aims to develop infrastructure, train young people in modern skills (AI, cybersecurity, languages) and create inclusive jobs in the regions by attracting IT companies. The expert also presented the findings of a comparative analysis of Central Asian national strategies on scaling up AI start-ups, investing in computing capacity, and delivering ambitious targets to train millions of "AI leaders" by 2030.

Michael Lokshin, Lead Economist in the Office of the Chief Economist for Europe and Central Asia at the World Bank, presented the results of an analysis based on a new economic model of trade in AI compute services (FLOP). Under this framework, data centres are treated as production facilities that convert electricity and hardware into high-tech digital exports. The findings showed that the principal cost item in such data centres is the procurement of equipment (around 90% of total cost), rather than the cost of electricity, which accounts for only 12–20% of expenses.

At the same time, the expert noted that high energy prices are not the main barrier for developing economies. The most important factors are institutional guarantees, legal predictability and geopolitical risk. The absence of a predictable legal environment, the erosion of arbitral independence and the sanctity of contracts, and elevated geopolitical risk are together capable of fully eroding any competitive advantage derived from resource endowments and of constraining the mobilisation of long-term private capital.