AI Leaders 2026: Largest AI Program for Executives in Central Eurasia Concludes in Tashkent

A graduation ceremony for participants of AI Leaders 2026, the largest educational program on artificial intelligence for executives in Central Eurasia, was held in Tashkent. The program is implemented by Stanford Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), OpenAI Academy, and Silkroad Innovation Hub with the support of the Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan, IT Park Uzbekistan, the Asian Development Bank, and the Youth Affairs Agency of Uzbekistan.

AI Leaders 2026 brings together executives, senior managers, and professionals responsible for strategic decision-making and the implementation of new technologies within their organizations. The program is designed to develop practical skills in working with artificial intelligence and helps participants integrate AI tools into public administration, finance, education, the technology sector, and other industries.

The ceremony was attended by Ayubkhon Sultonov, First Deputy Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan; Mirzo Iskandar Ghulamov, Head of Operations at the Asian Development Bank’s Representative Office in Uzbekistan; and Asset Abdualiyev, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Silkroad Innovation Hub. The speakers emphasized the growing role of artificial intelligence in economic development and the importance of preparing a new generation of leaders to drive the country’s digital transformation.

This year, the program brought together more than 800 executives and professionals from over 150 organizations across nine countries: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Mongolia. Uzbekistan was represented by more than 120 executives and decision-makers from over 25 leading organizations, including government agencies, financial institutions, technology companies, educational institutions, and major enterprises.

The program’s Academic Director was Peter Norvig, Professor at Stanford HAI and former Director of Google Research. He was joined by more than 15 international experts in artificial intelligence, including Alex Pentland, Michael Bernstein, Diyi Yang, and Mykel Kochenderfer.

The program lasted eight weeks. During this period, participants completed more than 45 hours of educational content, including Stanford HAI lectures, hands-on training sessions from OpenAI Academy, industry-focused workshops, and strategic consulting sessions. The program also featured more than 240 strategic sessions on AI implementation within organizations and over 120 hours of one-on-one mentoring. A dedicated module focused on the development and deployment of AI agents for the banking sector, public administration, education, and other industries.

Upon completion, graduates received certificates from Stanford University HAI and OpenAI Academy and became members of the AI Leaders Community—the largest professional network of executives focused on digital transformation and artificial intelligence adoption in Central Eurasia.

For IT Park Uzbekistan, initiatives such as AI Leaders 2026 create additional opportunities for the development of the local technology ecosystem and the preparation of professionals capable of working with cutting-edge AI solutions. The program also contributes to strengthening Uzbekistan’s international ties with leading educational and technology organizations around the world.