Digital move: EAEU countries have agreed to introduce AI in trade and production

The EAEU countries rely on digitalization as the main driver of economic growth in the union. Following the meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, eight documents were signed, including on the introduction of artificial intelligence technologies into trade and production. The meeting was held in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, on March 26, and the Russian delegation was headed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. A day later, representatives of the five countries of the union attended the Digital Qazaqstan – 2026 forum, where they discussed the formation of a regulatory framework for the development of AI technologies.

How was the meeting of the Intergovernmental Council of the EAEU held in Kazakhstan?

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin began his three-day working visit to Kazakhstan with Astana, a modern capital with futuristic architecture. In a city somewhat reminiscent of Dubai with its luxury and skyscrapers, he met with his colleague Olzhas Bektenov and discussed key topics of bilateral economic cooperation, including the construction of a Kazakh nuclear power plant with the help of Rosatom.

After the meeting in the capital, the delegation of the Russian Prime Minister flew south to Shymkent. He greeted me warmly. The participants of two major events that took place in the following days in the city also spoke about the favorable economic "weather".

By the end of 2025, the EAEU's GDP grew by 1.7%, overtaking the European Union, Mikhail Mishustin said, speaking at a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council (ENIC) on March 26. The prime ministers or deputy prime ministers of Armenia, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan participate in its work.

Mishustin recalled that in 2025, the association concluded agreements on free trade zones with Indonesia, Mongolia and the United Arab Emirates.

— I am sure that the interest in cooperation with the Union will grow. And it is important to continue building mutually beneficial and equal partnerships with friendly states that are committed to constructive work," said the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.

The main task of the ENPI is to respect the economic interests of all participating countries, Daria Saprynskaya, a researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences and an expert at the Valdai Club, told Izvestia. At such meetings, they discuss in detail the details and compromises in the most sensitive areas of the economy: technical regulation of production, the market of services and the protection of domestic consumers.

"We have many projects on the Eurasian track, and each country has its own interests — this mechanism allows us to promote them," the expert explained.

What documents were agreed upon by the parties

The main outcome of the EPA meeting was eight documents signed by the participants. Among them is the decision to form Eurasian Technology Platforms (ETS). They combine business, science and government to develop technologies and introduce them into different sectors of the economy.

The parties paid special attention to the creation of new technologies using artificial intelligence. This topic was actively discussed at the second event in Shymkent, the plenary session of the Digital Qazaqstan – 2026 forum. Before that, the premieres visited an exhibition of Kazakhstan's main achievements in AI, which are currently used in industry, transport regulation, school and hospital management.

— The use of artificial intelligence is moving forward entire sectors of the economy. For example, civilian unmanned systems and transport. In Russia, on behalf of the president, we have formed the necessary regulatory framework for the development of this sector," Mikhail Mishustin said in his speech.

Currently, the EAEU member states are creating legal contours in their legislation in the field of AI regulation, so synchronization is needed in this regard, Daria Saprynskaya explained. According to her, digitalization will be the driver of the growth of the economies of the future. It is symbolic that the topic of the development of advanced IT technologies of the country was discussed in the oldest city of Kazakhstan.

Russian language in Kazakhstan

Mikhail Mishustin and the prime ministers of other EAEU countries congratulated their colleagues from Kazakhstan on the adoption of the new constitution, which was approved in a national referendum on March 15.

Among other things, the new version of the main law has changed the wording on the status of the Russian language. If earlier it was said that it is used "on a par with Kazakh," now it is "along with Kazakh." However, on the eve of the referendum, Tokayev stressed that the status of the language would not decrease. Walking through the streets of local towns, you can hear both Russian and Kazakh speech.

— In my family, in everyday life, I speak Kazakh. But of course, you won't forget your native language, so I speak Russian with you, for example," a pensioner told me, with whom I started talking while walking around Astana. In her youth, she moved to Kazakhstan from Russia.

Dressed in a black velvet coat with national patterns, she explained that her children have been speaking Russian since birth, but they specifically sent them first, and then their grandchildren to Kazakh schools. However, Russian is a compulsory subject in all educational institutions today. Universities have both Kazakh and Russian groups, so students can choose where they feel more comfortable, students from one of the universities in Astana told me.

"My parents still speak Kazakh very poorly," says one of them. — We have known Russian since birth, but thanks to schools we learned Kazakh. I would like my children to have it as their native language, although my boyfriend, for example, does not speak it at all.

If in the north of the country, locals still mostly prefer Russian, then in the south, in the same Shymkent, Kazakh speech is heard more often. Walking through central Park, you can hear teenagers playing volleyball and shouting something in the local language. "Even Russians who grew up in Shymkent are starting to speak Kazakh here," a local pensioner told me.

Anyway, Russian is very important in Kazakhstan, because it is spoken by businessmen and politicians of both countries at international events, Kazakh journalists explained to me. "Go to Shymkent bazaar, and all the sellers will persuade you to buy goods from them in Russian," one of them said with a smile.