Kazakhstan’s AI Month runs to 23 October, and applications for Astana Hub’s two-year ML School close on 8 October 2026

Kazakhstan’s AI Month runs to 23 October, and applications for Astana Hub’s two-year ML School close on 8 October 2026

23 September 2026 — Astana Hub, Kazakhstan's state-backed technology park, is running AI Month, a programme of artificial-intelligence events across the country from 23 September to 23 October 2026. The hub describes it as a series of events for AI professionals, developers, startups, researchers and industry. Alongside it, applications for ML School Kazakhstan, a two-year machine-learning programme, close on 8 October 2026.

The AI Month programme

The hub's announcement of 23 September gives these fixed points:

• 23 September: opening with HackAlem AI, a five-hour hackathon across ten sectors including energy, finance, public administration, telecommunications, logistics, education and trade. It is now over.
• 1 October: a meeting of the country's AI Council.
• 2–3 October: AI & Digital Bridge 2026, an international forum.
• 23 October: closing session at the alem.ai International Center for Artificial Intelligence, with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, Zhaslan Madiyev.

Regional hubs are adding their own sessions; the hub's event listing shows AI workshops in regional centres such as Kyzylorda. The opening hackathon was organised by the Ministry of AI and Digital Development, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Astana city administration and Astana Hub. The hub says the hackathon platform will host future hackathons where companies can set challenges, but gives no date.

ML School Kazakhstan: apply by 8 October

• The programme: two years of study in classic machine learning, neural networks, computer vision and large language models, with practical assignments, project work and networking.
• Teaching: a curriculum drawing on the Yandex School of Data Analysis, taught by its experts, technical-university faculty and AI and ML researchers.
• Who it is for: students and professionals in IT, mathematics and technical fields "with a strong foundational background", and graduates of Tomorrow School.
• Selection: an online test in mathematics and programming, then an in-person interview for the best scorers, covering linear algebra, algorithms, statistics and calculus.
• Applications: through the Astana Hub services portal, closing on 8 October 2026.

Not yet independently verified. Astana Hub has not stated ML School’s start date, cost or number of places, or the date of the next company-challenge hackathon. The publisher has not stated it yet; we will update the dates here as we hear from the publisher. We will update this when it can be confirmed, and remove this note.

What to do

• Kazakh software companies building AI teams can point developers at ML School before 8 October; it is a two-year commitment, so check the start date when it is published.
• Firms selling AI or data services in Central Asia may find buyers and partners at the AI & Digital Bridge forum on 2–3 October.
• Companies that want to set a hackathon challenge should contact Astana Hub now, ahead of the next event.

Sources

• Astana Hub: AI Month announcement (23 September 2026) — 23 September 2026
• Astana Hub: home page, AI Month dates and ML School Kazakhstan application deadline (read 30 September 2026) — 30 September 2026