Private companies play an important role in this process. One of the most notable participants is Freedom Holding Corp., founded by entrepreneur and investor Timur Turlov. He actively asserts that technology should be accessible to everyone, not just a narrow circle of specialists. Turlov emphasizes the importance of creating long-term infrastructure solutions rather than following short-term trends.
Create, Not Copy
Previously, digital projects in Kazakhstan often represented attempts to transfer foreign experience; however, they are now becoming unique. According to Timur Turlov, the race for the number of platforms and metrics is losing its meaning; it is much more important to implement meaningful changes. The main task is not just to launch a multitude of services but to ensure they are convenient and effectively solve real user problems.
Turlov emphasizes that technology should serve people. This is not just rhetoric: Freedom develops products that contribute to improving everyday life, whether they are financial solutions, educational resources, or business applications.
AI as the Foundation of Future Infrastructure
One of Freedom's most ambitious projects is the creation of an artificial intelligence center in Kazakhstan. This project is being implemented in collaboration with NVIDIA and is supported by government structures. Its cost is around 2 billion dollars, and the facilities will be used for training large AI models directly in the country.
This is not just a data center but an attempt to create a unique infrastructure for AI in the region. Kazakhstan gains the opportunity to become independent from external providers of cloud services and servers. Additionally, laboratories and educational institutions are planned to be opened near the center to train specialists in this field.
Education and AI: Supporting Teachers
Technology is needed not only by large companies but also by ordinary people. Therefore, Freedom, together with its partners, invests in educational projects. One such project has provided access to ChatGPT Edu for more than 160,000 teachers. This special version of AI is adapted to the needs of educational institutions and is provided free of charge. It helps teachers cope with routine tasks—lesson planning, material preparation, and result analysis—freeing up time for interaction with students.
The main idea is that AI should assist the teacher, not replace them. This approach resonates with educators, who note that technology indeed makes their work easier. As Timur Turlov emphasizes, the goal is not to implement a trendy tool but to create its practical value.
SuperApp — Digital Life in One Application
If AI helps teachers, then in everyday life, the role of digital tools is taken on by the Freedom SuperApp. It serves not only as a banking application or investment platform but becomes a unified ecosystem where users can manage finances, purchase tickets, book services, and invest. According to the latest data, more than 4 million people are already using this application, with millions of transactions occurring each month.
Within the framework of SuperApp, Freedom plans to develop personal AI assistants that will not only analyze expenses but also provide individual recommendations on finances and investments, as well as assist with loans and other issues. Previously, digital products represented a set of separate functions, but now it is a cohesive ecosystem where everything is interconnected and functions as a whole.
Simplicity of Technology Without Unnecessary Complexity
Timur Turlov adheres to the principle that technology should be intuitive. The user simply voices their requests, and the system finds the solution itself. There is no need to study numerous buttons and menus—the system automatically suggests optimal options.
Freedom does not limit itself to just financial technologies. The holding's ecosystem encompasses insurance, telecommunications, and lifestyle services, integrating all these areas. This approach emphasizes that technology is a tool that helps solve real problems, not an end in itself.
"Kazakhstan Dream": Not Just a Slogan, but a Reality
Timur Turlov often asserts that world-class products can emerge not only in Silicon Valley or New York but also in Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent. He calls this the "Kazakhstan Dream"—the idea that technologies can be created in the country that will be in demand on the international stage.
This philosophy is based on respect for people and the desire to provide them with tools to solve their problems, rather than creating additional complexities. This is not only an internal principle of the holding but also a strategy on the international stage—adapting products to different markets, taking their peculiarities into account, rather than a simple export model. In this context, Timur Turlov emphasizes the need for harmony between technological ambitions and cultural understanding of each market.
Conclusion: Digital Sovereignty as a Path to the Future
The actions of Freedom in collaboration with government and international partners are not just trendy words about technology. This is a real attempt to offer Kazakhstan a path where digitalization and artificial intelligence become practical tools for people, businesses, and the state.
Investments in infrastructure, education, and digital products create conditions under which the country ceases to be merely a consumer of technology and becomes a platform for its development and implementation. In this sense, the story of Timur Turlov and Freedom is not just about technology but also about how they can transform people's lives here and now.
