Astana, October 2, 2025 — Huseyin Atakan Varol, Founding Director of the Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence (ISSAI), took part in two major events held in Astana under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

On October 1, Dr. Varol attended the first meeting of the Artificial Intelligence Development Council, chaired by President Tokayev. In his opening remarks, the President emphasized that the advancement of AI is not only a matter of technology but also of national sovereignty and the future of generations. Among the distinguished experts who took part in the Council’s work were Kai-Fu Lee, CEO of Sinovation Ventures and 01.ai; John Hopcroft, Turing Award laureate and professor at Cornell University; Omar Al-Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence; Ebtesam Al-Mazrouei, chair of the UN “AI for Good” initiative; and Peter Norvig, researcher at Stanford University and Director of Research at Google.

The following day, October 2, Dr. Varol was present at the Plenary Session of Digital Bridge 2025, where President Tokayev highlighted the strategic role of digital transformation and artificial intelligence in strengthening Kazakhstan’s global competitiveness. The session featured keynote addresses and high-level discussions with leading global voices in AI, including Peter Norvig, John Hopcroft, and Rumman Chowdhury, founder of Humane Intelligence and faculty member at Harvard University.

By participating in both the Council’s launch and the Plenary discussions, ISSAI reinforced its role as a leading institution in the region’s AI ecosystem, committed to advancing research, fostering international collaboration, and contributing to Kazakhstan’s vision of becoming a global hub for artificial intelligence.

ISSAI Founding Director Attends AI Development Council and Digital Bridge 2025 Plenary Session

Astana, October 2, 2025 — Huseyin Atakan Varol, Founding Director of the Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence (ISSAI), took part in two major events held in Astana under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

On October 1, Dr. Varol attended the first meeting of the Artificial Intelligence Development Council, chaired by President Tokayev. In his opening remarks, the President emphasized that the advancement of AI is not only a matter of technology but also of national sovereignty and the future of generations. Among the distinguished experts who took part in the Council’s work were Kai-Fu Lee, CEO of Sinovation Ventures and 01.ai; John Hopcroft, Turing Award laureate and professor at Cornell University; Omar Al-Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence; Ebtesam Al-Mazrouei, chair of the UN “AI for Good” initiative; and Peter Norvig, researcher at Stanford University and Director of Research at Google.

The following day, October 2, Dr. Varol was present at the Plenary Session of Digital Bridge 2025, where President Tokayev highlighted the strategic role of digital transformation and artificial intelligence in strengthening Kazakhstan’s global competitiveness. The session featured keynote addresses and high-level discussions with leading global voices in AI, including Peter Norvig, John Hopcroft, and Rumman Chowdhury, founder of Humane Intelligence and faculty member at Harvard University.

By participating in both the Council’s launch and the Plenary discussions, ISSAI reinforced its role as a leading institution in the region’s AI ecosystem, committed to advancing research, fostering international collaboration, and contributing to Kazakhstan’s vision of becoming a global hub for artificial intelligence.