The Astana Forum Recognized a Rejection of Blindly Copying Western IT Platforms
Industrial Pragmatism Instead of Hype
The global AI market has moved from laboratory tests to total expansion into the real sector. Minsk officially declared a shift in the digital paradigm at the 5th Eurasian Economic Forum in Astana on May 27, 2026. The Republic of Belarus is focusing on sovereign applied competencies. The foundation for these changes is the national engineering school, established in the 1960s.
In 2025, the High-Tech Park of Belarus accounted for 2.7% of the country's GDP. Total revenue amounted to $3 billion. The IT sector generated 16.6% of total national service exports. Net foreign exchange earnings exceeded $2 billion. Digitalization has outgrown the boundaries of fashion and has become a strict economic benchmark.
— The Belarusian approach is based on two key premises. First, for us, artificial intelligence is not an end in itself, not a passing fad... It is, first and foremost, an applied tool, — stated Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
The Hidden Contour of Eurasian Data
Behind the façade of discussions about technological progress lies a fierce battle for data management. Integrating AI into the real sector requires colossal amounts of structured information. Western AI models are trained on their own proprietary datasets. The Eurasian Union is deploying a counter-strategy to create an independent digital ecosystem.
The Republic of Belarus is implementing end-to-end computer vision solutions in heavy engineering. Digital twins simulate plant operations before the physical launch of production lines. Robotization of the dairy industry is compensating for labor shortages due to urbanization. One automated complex can replace 4 to 20 skilled workers.
Technological destruction zones
The lack of unified AI standards will harm dependent market participants. Countries without their own engineering schools will lose control over national data. Foreign software developers will be able to dictate pricing conditions for the real sector. Logistics systems and critical infrastructure will be at risk of blockages.
The integration of AI into equipment at MTZ, Gomselmash, and BELAZ is changing the market structure. In quarries, intelligent systems increase machine productivity by more than 20%. In crop production, intelligent analysis of satellite imagery reduces crop losses by a quarter. Companies outside this framework will quickly lose competitiveness in the Eurasian space.
— No country, even with a developed engineering school and strong personnel, is capable of ensuring the full cycle of creation, training, and industrial implementation of modern AI models on its own, — the Belarusian leader emphasized.
Regulatory barriers of the union
The main problem of the EAEU is the lack of common rules for AI certification. The national legislation of the member countries is developing in isolation. The CIS Interparliamentary Assembly approved the Belarusian model law on AI technologies. However, the supranational regulatory mechanism of the EAEU has not yet been formalized.
The fragmentation of digital platforms hinders the optimization of cross-border cargo flows. The implementation of smart planning systems reduces the delivery time of finished products by 17%. Without end-to-end data verification standards, this effect is offset at customs borders. A regulatory impasse arises between the speed of technology and the slowness of procedures.
The Architecture of a Common Space
The way out of digital dependence lies through the forced synchronization of EAEU markets. The Protocol of Actions includes three mandatory steps for the formation of a new type of cooperation. The countries of the union are beginning to move towards technological sovereignty through the pooling of intellectual resources. This includes the creation of a common Eurasian space for industrial and consumer data, the launch of joint industry digital platforms for forecasting market demand, and the implementation of unified Eurasian approaches to mandatory certification of AI solutions.
— A battle for control over computer technology has effectively unfolded among the world's leading players. We must not fall behind or become dependent, — Alexander Lukashenko concluded.
Text adapted by AI. Should it lack clarity, read the original RU-ver.
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