Kazakhstan signed a set of accords with Firebird, a US startup backed by Nvidia, to build AI data centres that could pull in as much as $10 billion in investment.
The deals give Firebird a foothold to develop a cluster of high‑density facilities in the country, positioning Kazakhstan as a potential computing hub for Central Asia. The government hopes the project will diversify its oil‑and‑gas‑dependent economy and create a new export of digital services.
If the investment materialises, the region could see a surge in high‑performance computing capacity, attracting AI startups and multinational cloud providers. It also tests whether a resource‑rich nation can pivot to a knowledge‑based model without the usual subsidies.
The venture is ambitious, but the track record of similar state‑led tech pushes is mixed, so time will tell if the promised $10 billion becomes a reality.