Presight Opens Central Asia R&D Lab to Bolster AI and Smart City Work in Kazakhstan

Post by : Bianca Suleiman

Presight has inaugurated its first regional Research and Development (R&D) Laboratory in Central Asia, a move seen as a strategic advance in Kazakhstan’s digital transformation. The facility will serve as a center for developing AI, advanced analytics and digital governance tools adapted to regional needs.

Magzhan Kenesbai, Presight’s Chief Growth Officer, announced the launch and underlined the company’s intent to deepen technological capacity in Kazakhstan. The lab’s mandate includes producing localized AI systems that support the country’s objectives for innovation-led growth and technological independence.

At the launch, Kenesbai also reviewed progress on the Astana Smart City initiative, a public-private partnership between Presight and the Akimat of Astana. The programme embeds AI into municipal operations, addressing areas from traffic and security monitoring to environmental sustainability and public services.

Speaking about the expansion, Kenesbai described Kazakhstan as emerging as a regional center for analytics and AI capability, saying the R&D lab and urban projects will help cultivate domestic talent and deploy systems where they deliver measurable benefits.

Deputy Prime Minister Zhaslan Madiyev, responsible for the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, welcomed the facility as a notable development for the national AI ecosystem. He highlighted the lab’s potential to build local expertise, speed up sector-wide AI adoption and support Smart City deployments that improve urban life.

Presight has previously contributed to establishing Kazakhstan’s first Command Center for Government Analytics and Decision-Making. That center provides real-time oversight of municipal and national operations, marking a substantive step toward data-driven governance.

Presight is also broadening its regional footprint, extending projects to Azerbaijan where it advises the Ministry of Science and Education and the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport on national AI strategies. These engagements reflect the company’s wider aim of fostering inclusive digital progress across Central Asia.

With the new R&D facility, Presight seeks to strengthen its role as a regional AI partner, combining international expertise with local development to deliver solutions for public institutions and communities.

The establishment of the lab underscores wider regional priorities: enhancing digital governance, supporting economic diversification and building technical capacity to sustain long-term technological adoption.