International forum on artificial intelligence with participation of CIS countries and AI hackathon held in Samarkand

Samarkand hosted an international forum dedicated to the advancement of artificial intelligence technologies across the CIS countries. Organised with the support of IT Park Uzbekistan, AIJ, Huawei, Yandex, and DataVolt, the event brought together over 50 experts, industry leaders, IT companies, and representatives of government agencies from Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The forum served as a significant platform for dialogue on AI development and for strengthening cooperation among participating states.

The business program of the forum comprised four sessions focusing on national AI strategies and the application of artificial intelligence in finance, education, the social sphere, and business. Representatives from Yandex, Huawei, Astana Hub, School 21, IT Park University, Uzum Bank, Click, and other organisations contributed to the discussions.

On the second day, a foresight session titled AI Horizons was held, where participants examined emerging technologies of the future, including multi-agent systems, generative AI, self-learning architectures, quantum-accelerated models, and other innovative solutions.

A central highlight of the forum was the final of the AI hackathon, organized by IT Park and Angel Connect with the support of AI Lab, AICA, and School 21. The preliminary stages involved over 120 participants, who formed 24 teams, with only 10 projects advancing to the final round. Teams of young developers, engineers, and researchers presented AI-based solutions addressing challenges in the economy, education, public administration, and other sectors. This practical segment of the forum provided a valuable platform for showcasing applied technologies and fostering youth-driven initiatives.

The finalists presented projects with practical applications across a variety of domains, including:

• LIMA — an AI assistant for medical representatives, supporting visit preparation, product information searches, and voice-enabled note-taking;

• EQUILIBRIUM — a mobile AR application enhanced with AI for independent martial arts training under the guidance of a virtual coach;

• TASVIRCHI — a corporate AI platform for deepfake detection, offering a user-friendly interface, heatmaps, and comprehensive reporting;

• ARCH — a computer vision AI system designed to monitor pedestrian and driver behavior at crossings and intersections;

• MILA GPT — an AI tutor tailored for school students;

• CALIBRA — an automated discrete irrigation system for agricultural use;

• TURAN TECH — an AI-powered guide to Samarkand, capable of generating personalized tourist routes;

• KIMCHI DEVS — a portable AI multitool integrating an assistant, reference database, measuring module, and storage device.

The AI hackathon final took place on the evening of the second day. The winning teams were EQUILIBRIUM, MILA GPT, and LIMA. In addition, the jury awarded a special “fourth place” to TASVIRCHI for its promising solution. All winning teams will receive mentoring support and the opportunity to present their projects on international platforms.

Awards were presented by Elyor Maksudov, Startup and Investment Development Director, together with jury members: Umed Rakhimov, entrepreneur, podcaster, founder of Stanbase.tech, and expert in launching technology startups and attracting investment; Sergey Shima, Director of the AI creative agency TDI Group; and Ansor Anvarov, IT Advisor to the Governor of the Samarkand region. The prize-winners received laptops, tablets, and mobile phones.

The forum proved to be an important venue for enhancing Uzbekistan’s international cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence, facilitating knowledge exchange, and discussing joint initiatives. For IT Park Uzbekistan, the event opened new opportunities for collaboration, the promotion of AI projects, and the strengthening of the country’s position within the CIS region.