More than 500 young artificial intelligence researchers from 106 countries gathered in Astana to participate in the IOAI-2026 International Olympiad. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
The competition is held under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and UNESCO. It is organized by the Kazakhstan Federation of Sports Programming. The general partner of the Olympiad is the Kazakh technology company Kaspi.kz.
Opening IOAI-2026, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the special role of quality education and support for talented youth:
"We attach particular importance to high-quality education and comprehensive support for talented children.
Last year, at the International Artificial Intelligence Olympiad held in Beijing, students from Kazakhstan won three gold, one silver, and three bronze medals. This is an achievement our country is rightly proud of. It once again demonstrates the enormous intellectual and creative potential of our young generation.
Your knowledge and ideas may one day become the basis for breakthrough solutions in medicine, education, environmental protection, and many other vital areas.
Perhaps it is here, at this Olympiad, that new ideas and projects destined to change the world for the better will begin to emerge. The true value of this Olympiad lies not only in winning medals. Above all, it is an opportunity to learn from each other, exchange ideas, make new friendships, and jointly seek answers to the challenges of the future."
For Kaspi.kz, supporting IOAI-2026 is a contribution to the development of young talents and Kazakhstan's technological future.
Co-founder and CEO of Kaspi.kz Mikhail Lomtadze thanked the President for his support of education, young talents, and the development of artificial intelligence in the country:
"First of all, I want to thank President Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev for his support of education, talented youth, and the development of artificial intelligence in Kazakhstan.
For Kaspi.kz, it is a great honor to be the general partner of IOAI-2026. Artificial intelligence already knows how to solve complex problems. But the main advantage of a person is their values, the ability to choose truly important tasks and take responsibility for what they create.
Kaspi.kz was created here, in Kazakhstan, by a team that believes world-class technology can be created anywhere in the world. You don't have to be born in Silicon Valley to create a product used by millions.
My advice to Olympiad participants: stay curious and humble, never stop learning, and create technologies that make people's lives better. The world needs not only more powerful artificial intelligence, but also responsible people who will use it for good."
Hosting IOAI-2026 in Astana confirms that Kazakhstan is becoming a notable part of the global technology community and a place where strong engineers, researchers, and future creators of global technologies emerge.
The Kazakh team is among the strongest in the world. Last year, at the International Artificial Intelligence Olympiad in Beijing, the country's representatives won seven medals: three gold, one silver, and three bronze.
During the week, participants will enjoy not only competitions but also a rich program introducing them to Kazakhstan. They will visit the main sights of Astana, learn about the country's culture and traditions, take part in sports tournaments, a Star Wars-themed show, and attend the Comic Con Astana festival.
The award ceremony and closing ceremony of the IOAI-2026 International Artificial Intelligence Olympiad will take place in Astana on August 7.