Kazakhstan Launches AI MONTH 2026: a Hackathon with OpenAI and the AI & Digital Bridge Forum

In short. On 23 September Kazakhstan launched AI MONTH 2026, a series of artificial intelligence events in Astana and regional technology hubs. It opens with the HackAlem AI hackathon involving OpenAI, and the central event is the international AI & Digital Bridge 2026 forum in Astana on 1–3 October. The organisers are the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of Kazakhstan, Astana Hub and the Astana city administration.

What the programme includes

• HackAlem AI. Teams of up to three build AI solutions for 10 key sectors of Kazakhstan's economy using Codex and the OpenAI API. Prizes and technology resources total US$1.1 million. The opening and in-person stage are on 23 September at the EXPO Congress Center in Astana, Demo Day is on 29 September and the awards on 1 October at the forum. Participation is free, for people aged 18 and over, and in-person attendance is mandatory.
• AI & Digital Bridge 2026. An international technology forum on 1–3 October in Astana: 1 October is for invited participants, and 2–3 October is the open programme.
• Other events. The KazHackStan cybersecurity conference, the LP Summit for venture investors, AI & MedTech Day, a humanoid robotics hackathon, robotics competitions and events in regional hubs.

What it means for business

Kazakhstan has declared 2026 the Year of Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, and AI MONTH shows where the market is heading: from experiments to applied AI agents for specific industries. Companies should watch which problems the hackathon teams solve and assess what they can automate now: request handling, document work, reporting and replies to clients in messengers.