On June 12, Tashkent hosted the graduation ceremony of AI Leaders 2026, one of the largest executive education programs focused on artificial intelligence in Central Eurasia. The initiative was jointly delivered by Stanford University Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), OpenAI Academy, and Silkroad Innovation Hub.
The program was implemented with the support of the Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan, IT Park Uzbekistan, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Youth Affairs Agency of Uzbekistan.
AI Leaders 2026 brought together more than 800 executives and professionals from over 150 organizations across nine countries, including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Qatar, the UAE, and Mongolia.
More than 120 executives and decision-makers from over 25 leading organizations in Uzbekistan participated in the program. The cohort included representatives from government agencies, financial institutions, technology companies, educational institutions, and major enterprises.
During the graduation ceremony, First Deputy Minister of Digital Technologies Ayubkhon Sultonov, Silkroad Innovation Hub Founder and CEO Asset Abdualiyev, and ADB representative Mirzo Gulamov highlighted the growing importance of preparing a new generation of leaders capable of driving AI adoption and digital transformation.
The initiative supports Uzbekistan’s broader national agenda for artificial intelligence development, including workforce preparation, executive upskilling, and stronger collaboration with leading international universities and research institutions.
The academic director of AI Leaders 2026 was Peter Norvig, Stanford HAI Professor, former Director of Research at Google, and one of the world’s most recognized AI educators. The program also featured leading international experts, including Alex Pentland, Michael Bernstein, Diyi Yang, and Mykel Kochenderfer.
Over eight weeks, participants completed more than 45 hours of learning through Stanford HAI lectures, OpenAI Academy workshops, industry-focused sessions, and strategic consultations.
The program also included more than 240 strategic AI implementation sessions within participating organizations and over 120 hours of individual mentoring. Special attention was given to practical AI applications, including the development and deployment of AI agents for banking, government, education, and other sectors.
Upon completion, participants received certificates from Stanford HAI and OpenAI Academy and joined the AI Leaders Community, one of the largest professional networks focused on AI adoption and digital transformation across Central Eurasia.
As governments and businesses across the region accelerate their AI strategies, initiatives such as AI Leaders 2026 are expected to play a key role in building leadership capacity and expanding practical AI expertise throughout Central Eurasia.
