Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a landmark package of laws focused on digitalization and the regulation of artificial intelligence. The package includes the Law “On Artificial Intelligence” as well as amendments to several existing legal acts.
The newly adopted regulations aim to strengthen transparency, safety, and the protection of human rights in the use of AI technologies.
Key provisions for AI systems
According to the new legislation:
- AI systems are officially recognized as an object of informatization.
- The responsibilities of AI developers, owners, and users are clearly defined.
- AI systems are categorized by risk level — minimal, medium, and high risk.
- Fully autonomous AI systems that make decisions without human intervention are prohibited.
Restrictions and prohibitions
The law bans the following AI-related activities:
- algorithms that manipulate human emotions
- exploiting vulnerabilities such as age or disability
- discriminatory AI systems
- covert collection of biometric data from open sources
- real-time mass facial recognition
These restrictions are designed to protect public safety and personal privacy.
Mandatory labeling of AI-Generated content
All photos, videos, and texts created using artificial intelligence must be explicitly labeled as synthetic content. Users must be clearly informed whenever AI has been involved in the creation of materials.
Changes to copyright rules
- Content generated entirely by AI will not be protected by copyright.
- Authors will have the legal right to prohibit the use of their works for training AI models.
One of the major changes is that digital assets—such as cryptocurrencies and tokens—are now fully legal across Kazakhstan. Previously, their legal circulation was restricted to the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC). Consent for the processing of personal data must be limited to the period necessary to achieve the stated purpose, and users may withdraw their consent at any time. Requirements for product labeling and cash register systems have also been tightened. The law also mandates the creation of a national artificial intelligence platform, which will serve as a base for developing and testing local AI models and technologies.
