Astana, April 8, 2025 – A senior delegation from DataVolt, a global leader in data center infrastructure and a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Vision Invest, visited the Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence (ISSAI) as part of their official trip to Kazakhstan from April 7 to 9, 2025. The visit aligns with DataVolt’s broader strategy to explore long-term investment opportunities in Kazakhstan’s rapidly growing digital infrastructure sector and to engage with key national stakeholders in the fields of AI and cloud technologies.
The delegation was represented by Tom Teerlynck, Strategic Advisor and founding member of DataVolt; Anil Vijayachandran, Head of Strategy and Head – CEO Office; and Adam Malsagov, Head of Business Development for Central Asia. The guests were accompanied by a representative of the National Company Kazakh Invest, highlighting the importance of the visit within the framework of Kazakhstan’s national investment strategy and international cooperation in high-tech sectors.
From the ISSAI side, the meeting was attended by General Director Atakan Varol, Executive Director Yerbol Absalyamov, IT Product Manager Amina Baikenova, and Senior External Affairs Manager Aigerim Sarsenova. Government Relations Manager Alaidar Amirseiit conducted the main presentation, offering a comprehensive overview of ISSAI’s vision, ongoing initiatives, and future priorities.
General Director Atakan Varol provided an in-depth explanation of ISSAI’s flagship projects, including its AI research programs, partnerships, and infrastructure development efforts. The visiting delegation was particularly impressed by ISSAI’s Generative AI Roadmap, which outlines the strategic evolution of national AI capabilities—from the development of ISSAI KAZLLM, Kazakhstan’s foundational language model launched in December 2024, to the release of increasingly sophisticated models such as Oylan, Oylan2, and the forthcoming Multimodal Sparse Generative AI Model by the end of 2025.
One of the highlights of the meeting was the introduction of the recently launched ISSAI Mangitas 01 Inference Server, Kazakhstan’s first domestically developed AI inference solution. The server is optimized for running large language and multimodal models efficiently and securely within national borders, representing a major step toward digital sovereignty and computational independence.
Adam Malsagov praised the clarity and ambition of ISSAI’s roadmap, emphasizing that the institute’s approach aligns well with DataVolt’s vision for enabling next-generation AI and cloud solutions. Tom Teerlynck also expressed admiration for Kazakhstan’s strategic approach to AI development, noting that ISSAI’s work stands as a model for regional innovation leadership.
The visit opened the door for potential collaboration between DataVolt and ISSAI, including joint initiatives in AI research, infrastructure development, and technology exchange. It underscores DataVolt’s commitment to building long-term partnerships that contribute to the sustainable growth of Central Asia’s digital economy.