Kazakhstan now has an artificial intelligence law, the first in Central Asia.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed the AI law on November 17, 2025, following the approval of the Kazakh Parliament on October 29, 2025.

The law regulates the development and use of AI in Kazakhstan to help ensure that uptake of the technology is safe and transparent. It also safeguards data privacy and ethical utilization of AI, whose applications have extended to multiple tasks and industries. Among these are manufacturing, education, healthcare, finance, retail, transportation, film and TV production.

In the IP realm, the AI law touches on AI and copyright. Among others, it provides a legal definition of a prompt and states that a prompt may be copyrighted, provided it is a product of intellectual and creative activity. It also allows copyright owners to opt out of AI training activities which involve the use of creative works. According to the AI law, using copyrighted works to train AI systems does not equate to free use for educational or scientific purposes unless the copyright holder agrees to the use of their work to train an AI model.

In addition, the law aims to create a national AI platform for the development, training and pilot operation of software and AI systems.

“The law strengthens Kazakhstan’s position as a regional technology leader and creates conditions for attracting international investment, developing the AI ​​economy, stimulating innovation and startup growth,” read the statement of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, as reported by The Astana Times on November 17, 2025.

Prior to the AI law, Kazakhstan relied on its Law on Informatization, which mentioned the concept of an intelligent robot, as far as AI use or adoption was concerned.

- Espie Angelica A. de Leon