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The 1-gigawatt project is expected to attract nearly €26 billion in total investment from global technology companies, helping meet growing demand for AI computing capacity.
The initiative forms part of Kazakhstan’s recently adopted national strategy for digital transformation and artificial intelligence. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said the country’s goal is “to create a platform for hosting global digital infrastructure.”
Under the agreements, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of AI and Digital Development and Firebird will cooperate on the development of AI infrastructure powered by NVIDIA technology. The partners also plan to establish Firebird Labs Kazakhstan at Alem.AI, the country’s international artificial intelligence centre in Astana.
Firebird also signed a binding term sheet with Kazakhstan’s telecommunications operator to define the framework for cooperation on the Data Centre Valley project.
According to Firebird CEO Razmig Hovaghimian, the project could significantly expand computing capacity in the region.
“The launch in 2027 could make Kazakhstan one of the ten leading countries in the world in this field,” he said.
Hovaghimian added that even 100 megawatts of computing capacity could generate billions of euros in economic value, supporting technology companies and startups developing advanced AI applications.
International analysts expect the global AI market to reach hundreds of billions of euros in the coming years, while demand for the computing power required to train and operate AI models continues to rise.
Against that backdrop, countries are increasingly competing to attract the infrastructure underpinning artificial intelligence, including data centres, energy resources and advanced computing facilities.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of AI and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev said Kazakhstan’s advantages include low energy costs, international connectivity, tax incentives and streamlined procedures for large-scale investment projects.
Turning coal into digital exports
NVIDIA Vice President Rev Lebaredian argued that energy remains the foundation of AI infrastructure and said Kazakhstan’s abundant power resources make it a natural location for large-scale computing projects.
“If you don’t have energy, you cannot build the rest. That is the foundation. Kazakhstan has energy,” he said.
The planned Data Centre Valley will be located in Ekibastuz, one of Kazakhstan’s largest energy hubs, where electricity is generated from extensive coal reserves.
For Kazakhstan, the project represents an effort to convert its traditional energy advantages into digital exports.
Chairman of Kazakhtelecom, Bagdat Mussin, described the initiative as a way of transforming locally generated electricity into export-oriented digital services.
“Kazakhstan is turning Ekibastuz coal into export digital revenue,” he said.
According to Mussin, Firebird already has agreements with international technology companies that could help bring foreign revenue into the country once the project becomes operational.
Officials say the project could help diversify Kazakhstan’s economy beyond commodities by exporting computing power, cloud services and AI-related digital infrastructure to international markets.