AI Forum Held in Seattle: Uzbekistan and WDTA Sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Forum as part of Seattle AI Week

On October 30, the Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Washington State hosted an international forum dedicated to cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence. The event was the concluding event of the week-long Seattle AI Week program. The organizers were the Consulate General, the American-Uzbek Chamber of Commerce and Investment, IT Park Uzbekistan, and the World Digital Technology Academy (WDTA). About 60 representatives of technology companies, universities, the investment community, and government agencies took part in the forum, including specialists from Microsoft and Meta, representatives of Harvard, the University of Washington, Northeastern University, and the Seattle city administration. This was reported by Kun.uz and Zamon.uz.

Who presented what

Nozima Davletova, advisor to the head of the Administration of the President of Uzbekistan and head of the secretariat of the American-Uzbek Chamber of Commerce and Investment, presented the country's priorities in digital development and the Chamber's capabilities in supporting initiatives of organizations from the two countries. Consul General Ahror Burkhanov highlighted the potential of cooperation with the US Pacific Northwest region and stated that the consulate is ready to facilitate direct contacts with companies, universities, and business communities. IT Park representative Ruslan Yapparov spoke about the national IT ecosystem; among the priorities mentioned were training young people with the participation of leading AI companies, developing computing infrastructure, and bringing Uzbek startups to foreign markets. WDTA Executive Chairman Ye Li noted Uzbekistan's potential as a technology hub connecting Central Asia with the innovative ecosystems of the United States. Julia Liuson, former president of Microsoft's Developer Division and senior advisor at Permira, discussed the use of modern AI tools and the transition from experiments to practical implementation.

Seattle's experience and the final memorandum

Seattle's Chief Technology Officer Shannon Smith presented the experience of using AI to improve municipal services, simplify construction procedures, and enhance road safety; prospects for exchanging experience between Seattle and Tashkent in digital city governance were discussed. Panel discussions covered university incubators, mentorship programs for startups, and training specialists to meet business needs; promising areas named included agricultural technology, water-saving technologies, language services, and solutions for people with disabilities. Following the forum, the Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Washington State and WDTA signed a memorandum of cooperation in the field of technology and AI. The document provides for the exchange of experience, the development of ties between universities, companies, and government institutions, the study of educational initiatives and pilot projects involving Uzbekistan, and pays special attention to the responsible use of AI, cybersecurity, and data protection. For now, this is a framework document: specific projects and timelines were not mentioned in the publications.