The private sector, particularly the holding company Freedom Holding Corp., which plays a significant role in this transformation and is led by entrepreneur and investor Timur Turlov, demonstrates how technology can serve people rather than being narrowly specialized tools. Turlov emphasizes the importance of creating long-term infrastructural solutions rather than temporary trends.
A Creative Approach to Digital Projects
Previously, digital initiatives in Kazakhstan often copied international experience; however, there is now a shift towards original solutions. Timur Turlov asserts that the race for the number of platforms makes no sense; it is more important to make meaningful changes. This means not just launching numerous services but creating user-friendly solutions that meet real needs.
Turlov often highlights that technology should work for the benefit of humanity. At Freedom, products are being developed that simplify life in areas such as finance, education, and business.
Artificial Intelligence as the Foundation of the Future
One of the key projects that Freedom is involved in is the creation of an artificial intelligence center in Kazakhstan in collaboration with NVIDIA and with the support of government structures. The estimated cost of the project is around 2 billion dollars, and its infrastructure will be used for training large AI models within the country.
This is not just a data center, but an attempt to create a regional hub for AI development. This will give Kazakhstan the opportunity to reduce dependence on foreign cloud solutions and servers. Additionally, laboratories and educational institutions will be opened near the center to train specialists on-site.
Supporting Education with Technology
Technology is necessary not only for large companies but also for ordinary people. With this goal in mind, Freedom, together with partners, finances educational projects. One significant initiative has been providing access to ChatGPT Edu for over 160,000 teachers. This adapted AI, offered for free, assists educators in routine tasks such as lesson planning and analyzing results, freeing up time for interaction with students.
The main idea is that AI should support teachers, not replace them. This approach has received positive feedback from many educators, who note that technology genuinely eases their workload. As Timur Turlov emphasizes, the goal is not to implement a trendy tool but to ensure its usefulness in real practice.
Freedom SuperApp: A Digital Ecosystem for Life
If AI assists in education, the Freedom SuperApp has become an indispensable tool in everyday life. It is not just a banking application or an investment platform, but a universal space for managing finances, purchasing tickets, booking services, and investing. According to the latest data, over 4 million users have already utilized the app, with millions of transactions occurring each month.
In this application, Freedom intends to develop personalized AI assistants that can not only analyze expenses but also provide recommendations on finances and investments, as well as assist with loans. Thus, the app becomes a unified ecosystem where all functions are integrated and work as a whole.
Simplicity of Technology for Users
Timur Turlov has a principle: technology should be intuitive so that users do not have to think about how it works. It is enough to simply state one’s need, and the system will offer a solution without the need to navigate through numerous buttons and menus.
Freedom is not limited to financial technologies. The holding's ecosystem encompasses insurance, telecommunications, and lifestyle services, ensuring the interconnectedness of all components. This approach demonstrates that technology is not an end in itself but a tool for solving real human problems.
The "Kazakhstan Dream" as a Guiding Principle
Timur Turlov often asserts that world-class products can be created not only in Silicon Valley or New York but also in cities like Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent. He calls this the "Kazakhstan Dream" — the idea that technology can also be developed in Kazakhstan that will gain international recognition.
The foundation of this concept is respect for people and the desire to provide them with tools that simplify life rather than complicate it. This reflects both the internal policy of the holding and its international strategy — to adapt its products to various markets, considering their specifics, rather than simply exporting ready-made solutions. In this context, Turlov emphasizes the importance of combining technological ambitions with cultural understanding of each specific market.
Conclusion: Digital Sovereignty as a Path to the Future
The activities of Freedom in collaboration with government and international partners are not just trendy words about technology. It is an attempt to offer Kazakhstan a path where digitalization and artificial intelligence become concrete tools that serve the interests of people, business, and the state.
Investments in infrastructure, education, and everyday digital products create an environment in which Kazakhstan ceases to be a mere consumer of technology and becomes a platform for its creation and development. The story of Timur Turlov and Freedom is not only about technology but also about how it can change people's lives here and now.
