TASHKENT, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Uzbekistan aims to become a main information technology (IT) hub in Central Asia by developing infrastructure, supporting businesses and implementing artificial intelligence (AI), the country's Minister of Digital Technologies Sherzod Shermatov said Wednesday.
Shermatov made the remarks when addressing the M360 Eurasia 2026 forum held in the Uzbek city of Samarkand.
To attract IT companies, Uzbekistan provides tax incentives and is preparing a new business regulation system, the minister said.
Noting that Uzbekistan ranked ninth in the World Bank's GovTech Maturity Index, Shermatov said the country is actively implementing a strategy through 2030 aimed at removing bureaucratic barriers and optimizing administrative procedures for businesses.
The minister emphasized that special attention is being paid to education, noting that more than 1 million young specialists have already been trained under the country's "Five million AI leaders" program. ■